Echo Valley, Part One: The Vineyard

**********

“Most of your reactions are echoes from the past.
You do not really live in the present.”  --Gaelic proverb


Part One: The Vineyard
*******************

Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.  -- The Song of Solomon 7:12


Chapter One
***********


'We are experiencing slight turbulence,' the jet's captain reported.

'No kidding,' murmured Lex Luthor.  'Maybe we'll have to ditch the plane, and swim to shore.'

His father's burly henchman glared at him suspiciously, as if he was behind the bad weather.  Lex had certainly been praying for something like this to happen, but really couldn't take the credit.  It was winter, over the Atlantic Ocean.  Far below them, icebergs of the same dynasty that had sunk the Titanic were heading south, looking for fresh prey, and preparing to calf.  Swimming to shore really wasn't an option.

'We'll be over land soon,' said the Henchman.  'If we ditch this plane, it will be at an airport, and you'll be boarding the next commercial flight out for Metropolis.  You're not getting out of this.'

'Keep your opinions to yourself,' said Lex. 'My father is the only man on earth who can talk to me like that.'  He turned to stare out the window, as the Henchman subsided, temporarily.  The plane was too high up for Lex to see anything but clouds, but even the clouds were a better view than the inside of Lionel Luthor's private jet, and the Henchman's brutish face.

Across from him, Gina Beaumarchais made a slight movement, catching Lex's eye.  She raised an inquisitive eyebrow.  Lex responded with a private, negative gesture.  Not yet.

The turbulence continued, tossing the small jet around like a leaf in the wind.  Lex checked his watch.  He pulled his BlackBerry out of his pocket and pretended to play a game.  The Henchman peered over at the BlackBerry, snorted, and sat back in his seat, looking bored.  Good.

Lex switched to the calculator function of the BB.  Judging by the time and the usual speed of the plane, and factoring in the direction of the winds and the apparent wind speed.... yes!  They should be close enough.  Lex switched back to the game, pretended to be disgusted at his score, and put the BB back in his pocket.

Gina raised her eyebrow again, and this time Lex signalled 'yes'.  Now.  Gina moaned, and grabbed her abdomen.  She put one hand over her mouth and made retching sounds.

Lex pulled his legs back in and growled, 'Don't barf all over me, you idiot.'

Gina gasped, 'I need to... I'm going to the head.'

'Hey!' said the Henchman.  'I don't like either of you out of my sight.'

'Okay,' said Gina.  'I'll vomit right here.'

'Use the barf bag,' said the Henchman.'

'It's not just that,' said Gina.  'I think I'm about to have explosive diarrhoea, too.  Want me to use the barf bag for that?'

'No!' said the Henchman, giving her a horrified look.  'Go do it in the toilet.  Just hurry it up.'

'Thanks for your sympathy,' Gina moaned.  'Both of you.'  She rushed to the head, and made more retching sounds.

'And close the damn door,' yelled the Henchman.  'Or we'll all be joining you.  God!  I can't wait to land.  We're ditching that annoying broad when we get to New York, I can tell you,' he added for Lex's benefit.

'She's my executive assistant,' Lex protested. 'Even if she is annoying.'

'You won't need any assistance where you're going.  Your father will take care of you just fine.'

Lex smirked.  'I told you to keep your opinions to yourself,' he said.

'Your father told me to keep you in line.  You can keep your smart mouth shut.  Got that?'

'Fuck you,' said Lex.

The Henchman moved as if to get up and punch Lex, but thought better of if. 'We'll see who gets fucked over once we're back home,' he said.

Gina came back to her seat, looking more like her normal self.

'Everything okay?' asked Lex.

'Fine,' said Gina.

The turbulence picked up.  The plane responded by losing altitude with frightening suddenness.  The captain came on to announce that everyone should fasten their seatbelts.

'What the hell?'  The Henchman was pointing toward the hallway leading to the head.  'Bitch!' he said.  'What did you do?'

'Who, me?' asked Gina.  'I used the toilet, that was all.'

'And set off a smoke bomb on the way back.  I'll get you for this.'

'Leave Gina alone,' said Lex.  'I'm warning you.  And stay in your seat.  It's suicide to get up right now.  The flight crew will deal with the smoke. It's probably some technical problem caused by the loss of altitude.'

The captain came on to announce that they'd be making an emergency landing, at the nearest airport.

'What airport would that be?' the Henchman asked, instantly suspicious.

'I'm not sure,' said Lex.  'But probably Gander, Newfoundland.'

'Where the hell is that?'

'Gander.  Newfoundland,'  said Lex. 'Canada.'

'Canada?  Do they even have airports?'

'One or two,' said Lex.  'I think they have one at least, in Newfoundland, for the use of more civilized countries that have discovered flight.'

'Yeah,' snorted the Henchman.  'That's fortunate.'

'We'll be making an emergency landing in Gander, Newfoundland,' the jet's captain announced.  'Please remain seated until we land.  I've alerted the airport to our situation, and emergency crews are standing by.'

Gina smiled, a bit like the Mona Lisa.

The plane circled the Gander airport.  The runway was lit from one end to the other, and even from their height Lex could see that emergency crews were in full attendance.  Good.

'What the hell is going on?' asked the Henchman.  'The place is swarming with people?'

'Maybe the Newfoundlanders haven't seen a jet plane before?' asked Lex, with fake innocence.  

He wondered if that was overdoing it a bit, but the Henchman just shrugged and said, 'Probably.'

The plane levelled out, the wheels descended safely, and the jet touched down.  They were all still in one piece.

'Please remain seated,' said the flight attendant.  'It looks as if airport security is coming to check the plane.'

Lex looked out the window.  'You think?' he said.

Airport security.  Swat teams.  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, for God's sake.  Lex risked a glance at Gina, and grinned.

The burly Henchman didn't notice their exchange.  He was too busy glowering and swearing.  Finally, he tugged off his seatbelt and headed for the cockpit.

'Sir!' said the flight attendant.  'Passengers should remain seated until....'

'Stuff it, bitch.  We're taking off right away.'

'We can't do that, sir.  We're experiencing technical difficulties, and taking off again now would be dangerous.'

'I said shut up.  Captain!  We're leaving now.'

But the plane was suddenly swarming with airport security.  A ramp was shoved up to the exit hatchway, and all passengers were being instructed to leave, now, no time for questions.  Leave all your belongings on the plane, and run for the exits.  Lex grabbed Gina's hand, and ran, as instructed.  They slid down the ramp, and their feet touched Canadian soil.  They ran for the passenger shuttle bus that was waiting for them.

'Take us to the terminal, now,' said Lex.  'Our lives are in danger.'

'Are you Lex Luthor?' asked the bus driver.

'Yes,' said Lex.  'This is Gina Beaumarchais.  Hurry.  Just get us to the terminal, fast.'

The driver studied his face for a moment, then nodded, and the bus took off.  Lex looked back and saw the Henchman trying to catch up to them, but he was too late.

It was winter, in Gander, Newfoundland, and way below freezing.  All their luggage was back on the plane, and they wore only light jackets.  Gina was shivering, so Lex took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

'That's not necessary, Lex,' she said.

'I'm fine,' said Lex.  'You're in this situation because of me.'

'I'm in this situation because I made a choice, and I don't regret it.  I can deal with a little cold weather.'

'Well, you've come to the right place,' said Lex.

The shuttle bus drew up in front of the airport terminal.  Lex and Gina jumped from the bus and ran inside.  Lex made a lightning survey of the terminal.  Security guards, police, all swarming about.  He held up his hands and shouted, 'I am Lex Luthor.  My life is in danger. I was kidnapped and being taken to the United States to be held prisoner against my will.  I have Canadian and American dual citizenship.  I am asking for sanctuary.'

'Sanctuary?' A woman, about sixty years old, stood up from her desk.  She looked much as a war veteran must look, upon hearing the bugles and the drums once again on Veterans Day.  Lex considered and decided that she must be a veteran of Gander Airport's glory days, when every other flight carried defectors from the Soviet Union.  'Come with me,' she said.

The burly Henchman burst through the airport door.  'He's after us,' Lex told her.

'Mason,' the Veteran Employee shouted.  'Stop that man.'  A huge black Newfoundland Dog climbed out from under the Veteran's desk.  Lex knew the dog was a gentle as a lamb, but he looked scary enough, and certainly stopped the Henchman in his tracks, as he ambled toward him.  Lex and Gina were soon safely behind the Veteran's desk, surrounded by customs officials.

'You're making a mistake, Lex,' the Henchman shouted.  'And you're all making a mistake,' he said to the room at large. 'That man is dangerous.'  The Newfoundland Dog stood up and placed his paws on the Henchman's shoulders.  He gave him a big, sloppy kiss in recompense.


************

'Mister Luthor, you say you have dual citizenship?'

'I was born in Canada.  My mother was Canadian, my father is American.  He insisted that I have American citizenship, but my mother saw to it that my Canadian status be honoured, as well.'

'Your father is Lionel Luthor, the billionaire?'

'Yes, and he's running for president, as well.'

'So, why would he want to kidnap you?  That wouldn't look good on his record.'

'He wants to, in his words, 'contain me'.  He thinks I'm a loose canon, and might go off at any moment.'

'In what way, Mister Luthor?'

'I don't agree with most of his policies, both in business and in politics, and I've made that clear on many occasions.  He wants a son after his own heart, someone to support him, and act for him, and I frequently criticize him and act against him.  I was living in Paris, running my own company, LexCorp, and doing just fine.  He wanted me to come home, and help him run LuthorCorp instead, and I refused.  So, he had me kidnapped by one of his henchmen.'

'The man on the plane?  The one who chased you?'

'Yes.  He was taking me back to my father, in Metropolis.  I wasn't told exactly what my father planned to do with me, but since he chose to kidnap me, I didn't think his plans for me would meet with my approval.  I was told that my father would 'take care of me' and that I 'wouldn't be needing the services' of my assistant Gina Beaumarchais where I was going.  That didn't sound promising for my future career.'

'And what are your plans for your future if you're allowed to remain in Canada? '

'Is there a question about that?' asked Lex.  'I am a Canadian citizen.'

'Yes, but you haven't resided in Canada since you were nine years old, and you arrived here under, shall we say, suspicious circumstances.  But please, answer the question.'

'Certainly,' said Lex.  'I intend to move to the lands in British Columbia that I inherited from my mother.  I have money, plenty of it, though I'm not as rich as my father.  I have plans to move the headquarters of LexCorp to Canada, and hire Canadian citizens to work for me.  I won't be a burden on the state.'

'And where are these lands that you inherited?'

'In British Columbia, as I said.  One of the Gulf Islands.  A little community known as Echo Valley.'  Lex watched the name register in his interrogator's eyes.

'Echo Valley?'

'Yes, I was born there, and lived there off and on throughout my childhood.'

'But you haven't returned since... since you were nine?'

'No.  Not since the meteors.  I was there that day.  I lost my hair.'

'So, you have Meteor Mutant status?  Why didn't you say so right away?'

'Because I've been living in America, and in Europe.  My Mutant status doesn't exist in that context.  I didn't think....'

'Never you mind.  I'll handle that.  In the meantime....'

Someone poked his head around the door.  'Mister Powers?  It seems that Mister Luthor's father, Lionel Luthor, is insisting that he be allowed to speak with his son, and, as he puts it, his son's captors, via teleconference.'

'My captors?' asked Lex.  'My captors are in jail, awaiting bail.'

********************

The impromptu teleconference had been going on for some time.  Lionel Luthor had started out with polite requests for his son to be put back on the LuthorCorp jet and returned to him, clearly expecting his request to be honoured. 'My son is not in his right mind. He needs the care and support of his family.'   He had moved to arguing, and now was resorting to sarcasm and veiled threats. 'I am going to take this to the highest levels,' he said.  'The Canadian Government....'

'Oh, so it's the Canadian Government, is it now, b'y?' said Emma Walsh, she of the fearsome-looking black dog, whose head was now resting on Lex's knee.  'This is Newfoundland,' she pointed out.

'Isn't Newfoundland part of Canada?' asked Lionel.

'Part of it, aye,' said Emmeline.  'But we do things our own way, here, when we can, b'y.  And we don't take orders from anyone, unless we're forced.'  Emma leaned closer to the screen.  'And we don't like to be forced,' she said.

'We'll see about that, you ignorant Newfies....'  The teleconference shut down on Lionel's enraged squawk.

'That's enough of that, ya foolish gommel,' said Emma.  She got to her feet, and marched out of the room.

'Well,' said one of the other customs officers.  'It's only left to say, enjoy your stay in Canada, Mister Luthor.'

'Thanks,' said Lex.  'Do you mean that Emma alone can....'

'She'll probably have your Meteor Mutant papers expedited in about two minutes. Oh!  Here she is, back already.'

'We've checked over all your papers, Mister Luthor,' said Emma Walsh. 'They look to be in order to me.  You haven't lived in Canada since you were nine years old, and that was the only problem, as I see it.  But you've been here for five hours, and that's long enough to reinstate your status.'

'I never cut my ties to Canada completely,' said Lex.  'I have money in Canadian banks, and invested in Canadian businesses.  And then there are my mother's lands.'

'Good. Here is your Meteor Mutant card. If you plan to live in Echo Valley, you'll need that.  Otherwise, it's no one's business.   Now for your aide, Gina Beaumarchais....'

'She has a job, with me,' said Lex.  'Should there be a problem?'

'No!' said Emma, firmly.  'I'm giving her a work permit.  It's temporary, but she can re-apply in six months.  This is rather irregular, but you don't have to know that.  Oh, and one thing more....'

There was a tap on the door, and someone poked their head inside.  'It's here, Emma,' she said.

Something black and furry came scrambling inside, sliding over the floor, tripping over its own feet.  Mason looked up, and woofed.  The puppy ran to him, snuggled against him for a moment, then sniffed at Lex's shoes.

'Do you like her?' asked Emma.

'She's adorable,' said Lex.

'Good,' Emma went on.  'She's yours.  She's a pure-bred Newfoundland Dog -- well, a bitch, rather -- the daughter of Mason and his lady friend, Marsha.  This puppy's official name is too long to enumerate, but you can call her....'

'Joy,' said Lex.

'Yes,' said Emma.  'How did you know?'


************

Lex sat on one of the hard airport seats, while Gina gathered up their few belongings from the now abandoned LuthorCorp jet.  Joy sat on his lap, happily chewing on his shirt cuff.  'Watch you don't chew off a button and swallow it,' he told her, with mock severity.  She looked up at him and grinned.  She was contented and shaggy and warm, and not at all concerned about any possible dangers out in the world. Lex picked up one of her little feet, and studied the webbing between the toes.  'You're like a little furry duck,' he told her, and she gazed back at him, placidly, just happy to be petted and loved.  No questions, no arguments, no accusations....

'Mister Luthor?'

Lex came back down to earth in an instant.  'Yes?' he said.  'Where do I go now?  Oh!  Emma.  I'm sorry.'  He got to his feet, and offered her his hand.  'Please, call me Lex,' he said.  'What can I do for you?'

'You can tell me where you plan to stay for the night,' she replied.  'Aha!  I knew it.  You had no plans beyond escaping your father's clutches, which is understandable.'

'I always have plans,' said Lex, with pride.

Emma wasn't impressed.  'Were you planning to take the first plane to Town?  St. John's, I mean?  It's pretty late, b'y.  Or you could come home with me, and get a proper night's sleep.  We have plenty of room, since the kids left home.  Little Joy would like to see her mom again. Show off her new person to everyone.'

'Uh, about the puppy....'

'Oh, no you don't, b'y.  Don't you dare try to give her back, or I'd be mortally offended.  Mortally.  Don't you like her?'

'I told you, I adore her,' said Lex.  'It's not that.  But how can I take her from you?'

'Not used to having people give you things, are you?'

'My father gives me things,' said Lex. 'Joy isn't a thing, she's a living being.  How can you just give her up to someone -- someone like me.  You don't even know me.'

'She's a puppy.  I've had dozens of puppies over the years.  Gave most of them away, or sold them.  I'll have more puppies, so don't you worry, b'y.  And I know you'll take care of this one.  I knew that much about you, soon as I saw you.  Now, are you going to come stay with me until you can get a flight out at a decent hour, or not?'

************

Gander International Airport was huge.  The town of Gander, Newfoundland was small.  Streets lined with trees, weather-worn houses, small strip malls.  A huge box with a sign reading 'Wal-Mart'.

'What the Hell?  They've taken over Gander, too?' asked Lex.

'Who?  Oh, Wal-Mart.  Yeah. What can you do?'

'It's almost as big as the town.  Sorry.'

'Sorry?  For what, b'y?'

'I didn't mean to disparage your town, which is lovely, by the way.  Has it been difficult, since the jetliner traffic has grown less?'

'A bit, yes.  So many jets don't have to re-fuel these days.  We still get the smaller, private planes, though.  And we're trying to diversify.'

'Thus the Wal-Mart.'  Joy was asleep in Lex's lap. Gina was in the back seat of the car, talking on her BlackBerry, sending emails, plotting their next move.  Lex felt peaceful and relaxed.  It wouldn't last for long, he knew, but in the meantime....

'Emma?  What do I have to do with this Mutant status card?  Check in with the local constabulary?'

'What?  No, no.  Didn't Powers tell you anything?  Men!  What do you know about Meteor Mutants?  Canadian Meteor Mutants, I mean?  I thought you were born here.'

'But I left right after the meteors.  My father moved us back to the States, right away.  He told me very little.'

'Okay, I'll give you all the information I have, and you can google stuff, of course.   But for now, all you need to do is have your status checked every few months.  You told us that you heal fast, and don't get sick. And you're in your early twenties, right?  That may be the sum and total of your powers.  Healing fast is useful, as far as it goes, but not dangerous.'

'What if I do turn dangerous?' asked Lex.

'Most dangerous mutants manifest before they reach their twenties, so don't fret about it.  God! You should have been living here, being monitored from the start.  What's wrong?  Ah, does the thought frighten you?'

'Not frighten, no.  But I don't like the idea of being controlled. That's what my father wanted to do'

'There was a huge national discussion when the Mutants began to develop.  People raised the spectre of the way aboriginal people were treated. We held commissions and referendums.  In the end, this is what happened.  Mutant status is a private thing, most of the time.  Most people are glad to keep tabs on their status, because they're scared of what might happen if they turn homicidal.  There are some mutants who are completely out of the closet about their status -- Chloe Sullivan, for example.  She has healing powers, and works at the hospital in Chemainus, on Vancouver Island.'

'Isn't there a danger someone like her would be exploited?'

'Yes, and so the islands where the meteors hit were taken over and declared Federal lands.  You must have permits to live there, much as you're required to have a permit to venture into Newfoundland and Labrador in the winter -- because it's dangerous.  But, since you were born there, and you're a Mutant yourself....'

'I see,' said Lex.  'So, if I live in Echo Valley, it's like I'm on a reserve?'

'Only in the sense that no one will bother you, or exploit you.  The only thing that you're required to do, is to keep tabs on any developing powers.  Talk to Chloe Sullivan.  I'll give you her address.  Ah!  Here we are.'  Emma pulled up at a large, rambling cottage.  A big, amiable man who looked like a fisherman, came out to greet them.  Several Newfoundland Dogs ambled toward the car.  Joy jumped out and ran to nuzzle her mother, but then she ran back to Lex.

'There!  You see?  She's claimed you already,' said Emma.  'You belong to her.'


************

After a very late dinner, Gina cornered Lex in his bedroom, and showed she had been paying attention to the conversation in the car.

'Did you believe all that?' she asked, in French.

'About the Mutants and Mutant Status?  For the most part, yes.'

'For the most part?'

'Things are rarely as simple as they appear on the surface.  But if they were going to incarcerate me out of hand, they'd have done so already, and would have had the perfect excuse.  By which I mean, the suspicious circumstances of my entry into Canada.  But they let us enter Canada legally.'

'You sounded worried earlier in the car, though,' Gina pointed out.

'Of course,' said Lex.  'It's worrying to be required to check in every few months.  And I'm still afraid of turning lethal and attacking everyone in sight.  That could happen anywhere, though.  On the whole, I'm better off.  And Echo Valley will be the perfect place for our research.  It can be carried out legally and in the open.  We're going to find a treatment for the mutations.  A safe treatment.  Not like what my father has been doing.'


***********
Chapter Two
***********

'Doesn't it ever stop raining here?' asked Gina.

'I don't know,' said Lex, cheerfully.  'I only lived here until I was nine.'

Gina thought that through for a moment, then said, 'That was a joke, right?'

Lex snorted, rather inelegantly.  Joy looked up in surprise, and woofed.  Her eyes danced with humour.  Lex snorted again.  Joy laughed a joyful, doggy laugh.

'Lex, she'll be in your lap in a moment, and we'll end up in the ditch.'

'You're no fun, Gina,'

'I know,' Gina sighed.  'Not for you, anyway.'

'What's that mean?'

'Nothing,' said Gina.

Lex was silent for a long moment.  'Gina, if this is going to be difficult for you....'

'No,' said Gina.  'No, I'm okay.  I promised to keep it to myself.  It's the constant rain, and I'm tired.'

'Oh, don't blame it on the weather,' said Lex.  'That's really insulting.'

'Sorry,' said Gina.  'You're right.  It's you.  You're so hot, I can't stand it.  But, I accepted your conditions, and it's not fair of me to start protesting.  We agreed to keep things on a professional level.'

'I don't mix business and pleasure,' said Lex.

'You don't sleep with your employees,' Gina added.  'And besides....'

'And besides, I prefer men,' Lex finished for her. He added, 'For the most part.'

'Don't do that.  It's like you're tempting me to change your mind.'

'No, I'm just being honest.'

'Too honest,' said Gina.

'Okay, I'll turn completely gay, just for you.  But seriously, if this isn't the sort of relationship you want, you should say so now.  Don't wait until you hate me and are ready to betray me.'

'That will never happen,' said Gina, with a proud lift of her head.  'I am loyal unto death.  It's my family motto.'

Lex glanced her way, saw that she looked perfectly serious, and nodded, though he wasn't aware that was the Beaumarchais motto.  'Okay.  Now that's settled.  Back to the weather.  It rains a lot here, but not all the time.  We're on the edge of a temperate rain forest.  The rain is responsible for all the lovely green you see about you.'

'Lovely,' Gina agreed.

'These are the Gulf Islands, with the mildest climate you will find anywhere in Canada.  It rarely snows here.  Some plants bloom all year.  The marijuana crops are especially famous.'

Gina laughed.  'Are you planning to turn marijuana farmer?'

'Not unless I become desperate.  I intend to be completely legit. Well, as legit as it's possible to be in this world, and still survive.'

The ghostly gray Porsche was driving up a hill from the Thetis Island ferry terminal.  They crested the hill and looked down.

'There she is,' said Lex.  'Echo Valley.'

Gina looked around, curious.  'Where the meteors hit?' she asked.  'I expected to see huge craters, or something.'

'The physical damage to the Earth's crust was pretty minimal,' Lex explained.  'At least here, it was minimal.  We got a lot of small meteors.  Some places further south got the larger ones, especially south of the border.  Most of those landed in uninhabited areas, though, and that's why there aren't many American mutants.'

'Those are the ones your father has been experimenting on?'

'Yes.'  He stopped the car for a moment, and they sat quietly, studying their surroundings.  'When the sun comes out, it's really beautiful,' he said.  'And the ocean is the perfect temperature for swimming, in the summer.'

'It looks dark and wild,' said Gina, at last.  'Like anything can happen.'

'It is wild,' said Lex.  'Anything can happen.  But wait until you see the house.  It's straight ahead, just through those woods.  See? Those are the turrets.  I remember it all now.  I haven't been here since I was a boy, but I remember.'

'Are they good memories, or bad memories?' asked Gina, as Lex drove on.

'Mostly good memories, until the meteors hit.  I lost all my hair, of course.  My mother got sick.  My father took us "home" as he put it, but it didn't feel like home to me.  That big, empty penthouse in Metropolis.'

'I imagine it was a bit different.'

'Everything was different,' said Lex.  'Like the meteors tore my family apart.  My mother.... But never mind that now.  There!  There it is. What do you think?'

'It... it is a castle.'

'I told you.  My Great-grandfather built it.  My mother's grandfather, he was.  The younger son of a Scottish Laird.  He came here to make his fortune, and he did, and then he wanted his own castle, just to show off.  So he built one, of course.'

Lex drove into the courtyard, and opened his car door to let Joy out.  Before Gina could open her own door, he was around the side to open it for her, and offer a hand out.

Gina clucked her tongue, a little.  'Really, Lex.  I am capable of opening my own doors.'

'Yes, but this is a castle, and it makes me feel chivalrous, at least for now.  I'm sure the feeling won't last.'

Joy was already running around, exploring her new home, and seeming to approve.

'I wonder if the caretaker has followed our instructions,' said Lex.

'I spoke to her on the phone, in person, and she seemed to understand,' said Gina.

'Well, let's see if she's in, and waiting for us,' said Lex.  'I hope so, because I don't have a key.'

They went up to the nearest door, and rang the bell.  No answer.  Lex rang again, and then a third time.  They heard footsteps coming down the hall, and a voice, saying, 'Be patient, be patient, Laddie.  I don't move so fast as I used.'

'Cassandra?' Lex whispered.  The door opened, and a white-haired lady stood before them.  'It's you, it's really you,' said Lex.

'Aye, it's me,' said Cassandra.  'What took ye so long?'


*************

Lex insisted that they eat dinner in the small breakfast parlour, rather than any of the dining rooms.  'I want to actually be able to speak to my dinner companions,' he said.  'I'm too tired to text message them.'  He offered Cassandra his arm, and Gina walked on his other side.

'This is a small breakfast parlour?' Gina asked as they entered the room.  'It's bigger than my entire apartment back in Paris.'

'This?  It's quite cosy, compared to the smallest dining room,' said Lex.  'And you should see the formal dining room. But not tonight, unless you want to go exploring on your own.'

'I'll pass,' said Gina.

'Good choice,' said Lex.  'We'd probably have to send Joy out to rescue you, and she's a little young for that, yet.  Now, Cassandra,' Lex added, as he helped her into her seat at his right hand.  'Don't tell me you've been taking care of this mausoleum all by yourself, lo these many years.'

'Of course not, Laddie,' said Cassandra.  'But I've been keeping any eye on things.'  Then, after a long moment of silence, she laughed.  'Aye, the meteors left me blind, but they gave me the Second Sight.  I see more than anyone knows.  I have it stronger now than my Gran ever did.'

'The Second Sight, is it?' asked Lex.  'Want to help me play the stock market?'

'Ah, now, you know it doesn't work that way,'  said Cassandra. She signalled to the maid to begin serving dinner.

'Pity,' said Lex.

'No, no it isn't.  You don't care about such things.  If you did, you'd be with your father this moment, helping him to burn his competitors and setting up to rule the world.'

Lex sighed.  'You're right,' he said. 'You could always see through me.'

'Not always,' said Cassandra.  'Not always.  Not even now.  You aren't here to make money.  I know that.  But why are you here?  Give me your hand.'

Lex put his hand in hers.  Cassandra gasped, and dropped it instantly.

'What's wrong?' asked Lex, frightened.  He jumped from his seat and knelt beside her chair.

'Nothing, Laddie.  Nothing.'

'No, don't say that.  Should I call a doctor?  Are you sure?'

'I'm sure.  I'm well, it's you I'm concerned about. You are in great danger.'

Lex shrugged. 'I know,' he said, sitting back in his seat, and starting on the soup course.  'And that's old news.  My father had me kidnapped.  He was going to have me committed, I think.  I had a narrow escape, with Gina's help.  But he'll find it harder to take me from here, I think.  I'm putting in a state of the art security system.'

'Yon wee doggie?' asked Cassandra, and Lex laughed.

'Yes,' he said.  'Joy wouldn't let me be taken from her.  She's tougher than she looks.'  Joy looked up from her own dinner, which she was spilling all over the beautiful parquet floor, and woofed, softly.

'Nor will I,' said Gina.  'And I'm a lot tougher than I look.'

'See?' said Lex.  'I have my protectors all in place.  Three brave women.  What more could I want?  So, don't worry about me.'

'Aye, but I don't think it's only your father,' said Cassandra.  'You have other enemies -- in this world, and the next.'

'The next?  The next world?  What do you mean?  Are ghosts after me, too?  I'll have no peace, in that case, for ghosts never sleep.'

'Ghosts?  No, you misunderstand.  Or I misspoke.  The next world... No!  The other world. Another world is stalking you.  There are people here from another world, a frozen world, a world of ice, and they want you.'

'Do they now?' said Lex.  'They might wish they'd never heard my name, if they catch me.'

************

'Do you believe all that?' asked Gina, later, as she and Lex checked that the doors were locked and the security system turned on.

'All what?' asked Lex.  'That I have enemies in other worlds?  Why not?  My own father hates me.  No, that was my bitterness speaking.  He's my father, surely he doesn't hate me.'

'No,' Gina agreed, quickly.  'I think he simply wants to bend you to his will, and you won't bend.'

'Good point,' said Lex.  'And maybe these Other World enemies don't hate me, either.  Maybe they want to bend me to their will, and.... Look!' he said, suddenly, gazing out the window overlooking the bay below the castle.  'The moon on the ocean.  I missed that view.   Sometimes.... Yes!  Those ripples in the water, going against the tide?  A school of Orca, Gina!  Killer Whales.  See?  See?  One just breached.'  Lex stood watching in silence until the entire school of Orca had passed by.  Then, he sighed.   'That was worth everything that happened the last few weeks,' he said, at last.  'In the morning, I'll take Joy to the beach, and introduce her to the water.  She's a little too young to swim much, yet, but it is her natural element.  Goodnight, Gina.'

'Goodnight,' said Gina, softly.  'And if any aliens show up, whistle for me, and I'll take care of them for you.' She stood watching as Lex made his way up the stairs to his rooms, Joy padding along beside him.  It was very late before she went to her own bed, and even later before she was able to fall asleep.


******************

Lex was awakened by an insistent whining noise, and someone -- or something -- drooling on his hand.  He dragged his eyes open, and stared into a pair of deep brown eyes, set in a furry black face.

'Joy?  What's wrong?  Oh, yes. Outside.'  Lex stumbled out of bed, and over to the patio doors.  He opened them, and Joy scuttled outside, looked around for a moment, saw a low-slung planter with some bushes, and jumped up into it. She squatted and a blissful look came over her face.

'Good dog,' said Lex.  'You're brilliant.'  His bladder twinged in sympathy, and he moved to the next planter over.  'Ah, that's better.   That's the great thing about living in our own house,' he told Joy.  'We can do whatever we want, right?  And there's no one to tell us nay.  Or even to see us, around here.  Look!  Not only has it stopped raining, but the sun is out. Want to go for a walk?'

'Woof!' said Joy.

'Good girl.  I'm going to get dressed, and we'll see if there's anything in the house to eat, and then we'll go for a walk.' Joy looked at him with adoration, and followed him around as he opened his suitcase, and took out his most casual clothes.  'I'm going to need some hiking boots, and jeans, and stuff like that,' he went on.  'You won't need a doggie coat for the winter, but you do need some toys to chew on, before all my shoes are toast.  And a bigger collar, soon, if you keep growing, which you will.  And, much as I hate to admit it, I'll need an SUV, or something.  I love my European cars, but they're not designed for dogs like you.  Nor are they built for most of the roads round about.  What do you think?'  Joy seemed to agree with him.

They padded down the stairs together, and found the kitchen.  One of the servants jumped to her feet in alarm.

'Oh!  Mister Luthor, sir.  We didn't expect you up so early.  You said....'

'That's okay.  Marsha, isn't it?  I got woken up by my puppy.  She had to go outside.  We're going for a walk, now, and just need something to eat on the way.  I'll have a proper breakfast when we get back.'

Marsha and the others seemed astonished by this long speech, and Lex wondered what they'd heard about him.  Perhaps that he had two heads, and ate bad servants alive?

'We have waffles, sir,' Marsha offered, and Lex took one for himself, and one for Joy.

'She's a Newfoundlander, isn't she?' asked Marsha.  'She'll grow to be, like huge.'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'Huge.  Over a hundred pounds, at least.'

Joy munched on her waffle quite happily, but Lex told her, 'You shouldn't eat too much people food.  You should eat like a dog.  And I'm going to insist you sleep out in the hall, not on my bed after this.  You've gotten quite spoiled.  And I'm going to make you work for your living.  Hauling firewood, and stuff like that. And you don't believe a word I'm saying, do you?'  Joy looked up at him with adoration.

They walked out into the sunny day, and found the beach.  'This is Thetis Island, Joy.  Our new home.  We live here, now.  We make the rules, even if we want to pee out on the patio or eat waffles for breakfast.  In the summer, I'm going to teach you how to swim.  It's too cold, now.'

Joy proved him wrong by dashing out into the surf and splashing about quite happily.  'Brrrr,' said Lex, and Joy tugged on his cuff as if to pull him in.  'Not yet,' said Lex.  'In a few months, when it's warmer.  I don't have a lovely fur coat like you.  Don't stay in too long.'

God, I'm pathetic, he thought.  If Dad could hear me now.... But Joy found a stick and picked it up and carried it to Lex. Lex threw it a few feet, and Joy chased it and brought it back.  I'm in love, thought Lex.

After a while, he sat on a convenient log, and Joy came to sit beside him.  'Thetis was a Goddess,' he told her.  'The Goddess of the ocean, and the creator of life, because life came from the ocean.  But then, the macho male gods, like Zeus, came along and broke her down to a nymph. They married her to a human. Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons.  The Myrmidons had the reputation of being like soldier ants.  Like robots, or something.'  He sat and thought about that for a while.  'The Myrmidons,' he said, again.  'Interesting.  Anyway, Thetis had a son, named Achilles. When he was a baby, she tried to make him invulnerable. Some say by dipping him in the river Styx. Some say by laying him in a burning fire.  Peleus saw her, and thought she was trying to kill the baby.  So, Achilles was left vulnerable in one spot -- his heel.  We all have at least one vulnerability, Joy.  No one is perfect.'  He thought for a long moment, then added, 'I like the fire theory, myself.'

They got up and walked on, exploring more of the castle grounds.  A Japanese garden, complete with bridge.  An Italian formal garden. A wall, with a small, wooden door, which Lex opened.

'Oh, no,' he said.  'Something must be done about this.  What a mess.  But what are these vines?  No, wait.  Joy!  This is my mother's vineyard.  I remember now.  She was trying to start a winery. And Dad laughed at her, and then she got sick and we moved away.  And since then... God!'  Lex pulled out his cell phone, and called Gina.

'It's me,' he said.  'Your employer.  You awake?  You are now, eh?  Listen.  What do you know about vineyards?  Nothing?  Well, we have one. The beginnings of one, anyway.  I know nothing about vineyards, either, but we're going to make our own wine….And British Columbia wines are excellent, I'll have you know, and the vineyards have been moving out into the Gulf Islands the last few years.  Find an expert on making wines, will you? Talk to you later --  Gina is snippy when she's woken up too early,' he added to Joy.

They left the incipient vineyard, and continued their explorations. 'Are you getting tired?' asked Lex, but Joy bounced along beside him, seeming to be indomitable.  'Good dog,' he told her.  'Your ancestors were all wonderful work dogs, and rescue dogs.  The bravest dogs that ever lived.  I'll read you some of their epitaphs, someday.  But you are going to surpass them.  My ancestors, on my mother's side at least, were warriors, and Scottish Lairds, going back to the days of Fergus Mor, the King of Dal Riata.  Mother's maiden name was Ferguson.  She says her ancestors fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie.  Now, on Dad's side, they were all bandits and murderers and thieves, but they were successful bandits and murderers and thieves.  Mother's side of the family lost their battles.  Is there a lesson for us, Joy, or should we ignore it?'

They had left the castle grounds, and walked on, up a hill, toward a bridge.  'Let's see the view from the bridge,' said Lex.  Then, he noticed someone was standing on the bridge, looking downriver, toward the ocean.  A man.  A tall young man.  'One of the natives,' said Lex.  'I wonder if I know him.  It's been a long time since I lived here, but....'

The young man had jumped up on the bridge railing, and then, before Lex could shout, he threw himself off, into the river below.

'Hey!'   The young man must be trying to commit suicide, thought Lex.  He ran toward the bridge, Joy scrambling beside him.  He pulled out his cell again, and called Gina.  'Someone's had an accident, up by the bridge over the river.  Find out who to call, would you?  I don't know what the emergency preparedness level is here. I'm going to try to save the guy.'

He reached the river bank and kicked off his shoes.  Tossed his jacket down beside them.  'Stay here!' he told Joy, firmly, and threw himself into the freezing water.  There was no sign of the young man, so he'd have to try to scour the river bottom on his own.  Joy was running up and down the river bank, barking frantically.

'Stay there,' he shouted at her.  'I'm fine.'

But Joy's Newfoundland Dog instincts were too strong.  She jumped into the water and started to swim out to Lex, her little black head bobbing along in the strong river current.

Lex knew that Joy was the culmination of a long line of exceptional water rescue dogs, and would surpass every one of her brave ancestors -- if she lived that long.  At the moment, with the river current attempting to drag her out to sea, her prospects weren't looking so good.  'Joy!' he shouted.  'Bad dog!  I told you to stay on shore.'  Either Joy didn't hear him, didn't understand him, or didn't care about his opinion.  But she was fighting the current, and coming straight toward him, her little black webbed feet churning.

Lex looked around.  There was no sign of the idiot who had jumped off the bridge.  He'd hoped the guy would bob to the surface, so that Lex could tow him back to shore and beat him to a pulp on dry land.  But no such luck.  Here he was -- out in the middle of an icy cold river, for no purpose.  He couldn't feel his hands or his feet, and his ears were buzzing.

If they'd been in Newfoundland, he'd be in hypothermic shock by now.  Fortunately, this was the Pacific Ocean, and the water was just around the freezing mark, so he had about half an hour before he fell into unconsciousness and drowned.  Lex was starting to wonder if it were worth hanging around for that long, just on the off chance he could save the life of a total stranger, and one who had maybe wanted to die anyway.

But no, that was his father's way of thinking, and not worthy of a warrior.  And look at Joy, still ploughing through the waves toward him, trying to help a man she had only met a few days ago.  'Come on, Joy,' he said.  'Let's try and rescue that worthless, suicidal maniac.'

'Are you talking about me?' asked a voice from behind him.  'Is that what you're doing out here?  Or have you just lost your mind?'

Lex turned and looked into a pair of green eyes, burning like emeralds on fire in a face carved out of warm bronzed marble -- or something equally poetic and illogical and irrelevant.  Clearly hypothermia had set in a lot earlier than he'd calculated.  'Have I lost my mind?' he asked.  'I should be asking you that question.  I risked my life to save you, and my puppy... Joy?  Joy, where are you?'

He could see the puppy's little head bobbing away from him, downstream toward the ocean.  He started to swim for her, but the annoying stranger was the stronger swimmer and reached her first.

'Come on,' said the young man.  'Or do you need a hand, too?'

'Screw you,' said Lex.  The cold water was taking its toll on him, but he was prepared to die before admitting it, so he forged onward.  He could see that the stranger had already made landfall, and had released Joy.  She was shaking herself all over, and looking around for Lex.  Lex put on a burst of speed, and reached the shore before she could dive back in after him.

Joy greeted him as if he'd been lost at sea for the last ten years, and that assuaged his wounded feelings somewhat.  He ruffled her fur, and scolded her a little.  'You should have stayed on shore, like I told you,' he said.  'But you're only a puppy, I know.  We'll have to find an obedience class, when you're a few months older.'

The tall, dark stranger was shaking himself, much as had Joy.  'I don't know if there are any classes like that on this island,' he said.  'But dogs aren't that hard to train. I have a dog, too.'

'You are a dog,' said Lex.

'Oh, yeah?' asked the stranger, not at all put out.  'What kind of dog?'

'A mutt.  A cur.  A junk yard dog,' said Lex.

'That bad, eh?'

'Worse,' said Lex.  'You're probably rabid, too.  I hope you didn't bite Joy.'

'Hey!'

'What the hell did you think you were doing, jumping off the bridge like that?'

'That's none of your business,' said the stranger.

'I think it is my business, since my puppy nearly died because of you.'

'She's fine,' said the idiot.  'Look at her.'

'She wouldn't be fine if she were out in the ocean right now,' Lex insisted. 'She's just a baby.  I think this was the first time she's gone swimming in her life.  That's a strong current out there in the river.  So, I think you owe me some kind of explanation, don't you?'

The young man finally had the decency to look a little abashed.  'I... I just wanted to go for a swim,' he said.

'A swim?  At this time of year?  Fully clothed?'

'Uh... yeah.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.'

'No it didn't,' said Lex.  'There's more to this story than you're letting on.'

'Well, like I said, it's none of your business.'

'Right,' said Lex. 'I'm entitled to nothing, in your opinion.  Not even common courtesy.  Good to know.  I'll just be along home, then.'

'Home?' asked the young man.  'You live here?  I don't recognize you.'

'Ah, so you're only rude to strangers, then?  I'm Lex Luthor.  I own the property just to your left, there.  See those turrets?'

'Can't miss them,' the young man commented.  Then, he said, 'Lex Luthor?' with a strange tone of voice, as if in awe.

'Lex Luthor,' said Lex, stressing his first name.  'I was born here.  I inherited that property from my mother.'

The young man stared for a moment.  'Lex Luthor? he asked.  'Born here?  Your mother?' His voice grew fainter with each phrase.

'My name makes a difference to you?' asked Lex, coldly.

The young man looked down, abashed again.  'Not in the way you're suggesting,' he said.  'We get a few tourists around here.  Not many, but a few.  They like to gawk, and stare and whisper.  We ignore them, but once in a while....'  Now the young idiot was babbling.

'Once in a while they try to set up a... situation?  And try to take advantage?  You get some of the paparazzi, too?'

'Yeah, things like that.  I thought maybe you were one of them. At first. But of course not.'

'I see,' said Lex.  'No. I'm not a tourist.  I'm not the paparazzi.  I'm one of you.  Want to see my Mutant Status card?'

'No.  I'll take your word for it,' said the young man.  'I'm Clark Kent, by the way.' He watched Lex's face carefully, as he gave his name.

'Well, hello Clark Kent.  We friends for life now, you think?'

'I don't know,' said Clark.  'I guess I didn't make much of an impression.  Now that we've… met, I mean.'

'Oh, you made an impression, all right,' said Lex.

'Sorry,' said Clark Kent.  Then, his head went up and he seemed to be listening to something.  'That's the Search and Rescue bell,' he said.

And sure enough, off in the distance, Lex could hear a bell ringing.  It was coming closer.  'I guess Gina got in touch with the local rescue team,' he said.

'What?' said Clark.  'God!  That's all I need.  See you later.'

And then he was gone.  Poof!  Just like that.

Leaving Lex to explain why Search and Rescue had no one to search for, let alone rescue.

************

Lex's Paris wardrobe had arrived, via his private jet to the Vancouver Airport, and thence by chartered boat to Thetis Island.  His personal valet, Dominic, shepherded it through customs and on to the Castle.  Even Dominic was impressed by the final destination, or so it appeared from his comment that this was worth the horrors of the journey.  A transatlantic flight, refuelling at Gander -- Lex's jet was not a jumbo jet -- the flight across the country, and a boat journey apparently constituted horrors.  But now Dom was happily overseeing the unpacking, the brushing off and hanging up of Lex's Armani suits. Lex left him to it.

'We need some rough hiking clothes,' he told Joy.  'Jeans, I suppose.  Hiking boots and so on.  Dom will have a fit.'  The idea appealed to Lex, so he went to ask Marsha where one purchased such things on Thetis.

'There aren't really any decent stores on the island, sir,' she said.

Lex refrained from asking about the indecent stores.

'You can go over to the big island,' she went on.  'Vancouver Island, I mean.  There's a ferry can take you straight across to Chemainus.'

'Are there stores there?' asked Lex, beginning to feel a bit desperate.

'Not really, but you can take a bus down to Victoria,' said Marsha.

Or not, thought Lex.  'Thank you, Marsha,' he said out loud.  'I'll look into that.'

'Perhaps we could swim to Victoria, Joy,' he said, later.  'You being such a strong swimmer, now.'  The last couple of days, Joy had taken every opportunity to practise her swimming, and was looking like an Olympic medal candidate in Lex's eyes. He didn't think he could keep up, though.   A better idea would be to use that chartered boat and sail to Victoria, though he hadn't really wanted to make such a big production out of buying a few pair of jeans.  It wasn't the sort of thing he liked to do.  But neither could he see himself riding the bus from Chemainus to Victoria.  How did one ride a bus, anyway?  Where did one buy tickets? He'd seen buses, of course, from his car as he drove by.  The people inside surely survived the experience on a regular basis.  But they knew what they were doing, and he wouldn't.  He'd look like a fool, and be laughed at by little children.

He told all this to Joy, as they went to the kitchen for a snack. She was growing fast, and eating him out of house and home, he added.   And another thing.  Would the bus allow Joy on board?  If not, she couldn't go with him, and would have to stay home alone. They hadn't been separated since Emma had put her into Lex's arms that day, a week ago.  Already Lex couldn't imagine life without her.

'Lex?  Lex?  I've been trying to track you down.'

Lex looked up.  Gina was bustling toward him looking happily efficient and engaged.

'Aren't you answering your cell phone?' she asked.

'Not right now,' said Lex.  'I've been supervising Dominic, and walking Joy, and....'

'Well, I've found you a list of possible wine-growing experts.  I've written it all up with short biographies of the candidates, and printed it off.  Here you are.'

'Thank you,Gina,' said Lex. 'You are a treasure.  You wouldn't know the best place to buy jeans, would you?'

'Jeans?' asked Gina, blankly.

'Yes.  Jeans. The sort of jeans people normally wear to walk dogs, so they don't ruin their Armani suits.'

'Oh,' said Gina.  'Jeans!  I'll look into it.  Vineyards.  Jeans.  What next?'

'I don't know,' said Lex.  'I'm making up my life as I go along.'

Gina mumbled something that sounded like, 'Tell me about it,' and started to walk away.  Lex glanced down at the list she had put in his hand, just to assuage her feelings.  A name near the top caught his eye:  Kent, Martha.  'Gina?  Gina, wait.  Martha Kent?'

'Yes,' said Gina.  'Martha Kent.  What about her?'

'She's local?'

'She was from Vancouver, originally, until she married a local farmer, named Jonathan Kent.  They run the island's only dairy farm, and have an orchard.  They sell their produce here, and over in Chemainus.  But Martha Kent is the daughter of one of British Columbia's most successful Vintners, William Clark, of Duncan Wineries.  She worked in her father's business before she married.'

'Clark,' said Lex.  'Clark Kent.'

'Yes, Martha and Jonathan Kent have a son named Clark.'

'Would you call Martha Kent for me,' said Lex.  'Ask her if she'd be interested in a job.'

******************

'Mister Luthor?  There's a young man to see you, named Clark Kent.'

'Thank you, Marsha,' said Lex.  This was interesting.  'Please show him into my office.  I'll be right there.'

Clark was standing in the middle of his office, when Lex entered.  He was looking around in amazement.  'This really does look like a castle inside,' he said to himself, as if some old childhood tale had turned out to be miraculously true.

'Good afternoon, Clark Kent,' said Lex. 'What can I do for you?'

'Oh!  Mister Luthor.  I wanted to ask you a question.'  Clark looked a bit younger and more awkward than he had the other day.

'Certainly,' said Lex.  'Have a seat.  Would you like something to drink?  We have tea, coffee, soft drinks in the fridge....'

'No, thank you,' said Clark.  He took the seat in front of Lex's desk, and Lex sat in his own seat on the other side.

After a moment, Clark seemed to realize that their relative positions made him look like a job applicant or a child sent to the principle's office, and he got up and started walking around the office, studying the art on the walls and the books in the book cases.

Lex studied Clark as he moved about.  His awkwardness seemed to come partly from his youth, and partly from his strength, which he hadn't yet learned how to use.  He needed someone to teach him how to move, how to harness that strength, and turn it into grace and beauty.

Clark looked up at Lex, suddenly, and caught Lex's considering gaze.  'You asked my mother to lunch,' he said.

'Yes,' said Lex.  'I'm going to offer her a job.'

'Why?' asked Clark.

'Because I need a vintner.  Someone to help me start my vineyard, and plan my winery.  Your mother has experience working in vineyards, and she's local.  I'd prefer to hire locally, if I can.'

'Then, this has nothing to do with me?' asked Clark.  He seemed both accusing and disappointed, at once.  An interesting combination of emotions.

'Do you know anything about growing grapes, Clark?'

'Nothing,' said Clark.

'Then this has nothing to do with you,' said Lex.

'But, you knew she was my mother,' said Clark.  'You knew that before you called her.  You weren't surprised when I showed up, were you?'

'No,' said Lex.  'But I'm rarely surprised.  What's this all about, Clark?'

'I don't know,' said Clark, rather unconvincingly.  'We met the other day....'

'It didn't seem to be a particularly auspicious meeting,' said Lex.

'But now this,' said Clark.  'I was wondering if you wanted to get to know me better.'

'Better than what?' asked Lex.

'Better than you know me now,' said Clark, sounding exasperated.  'We got off on the wrong foot. Sort of.'

'Sort of?'

'I'm sorry about your puppy,' Clark went on.  'But she's fine now, right?'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'My clothes were a ruin, though.  My valet was horrified and nearly resigned.'

Clark laughed.  'You have a valet?'

'For the moment,' Lex admitted.  'But I'm sure he will resign when he finds out I'm planning to buy some jeans, if I can find a store that sells them.  One of my maids suggested taking a bus to Victoria.  I've never been on a bus.  What's so funny?'

'You,' said Clark.

'Thank you,' said Lex.  'I'm happy to provide you with so much amusement.'

'I'm sorry, but... do you really mean to live among us simple country folk?'

'Are you simple, Clark?' asked Lex.

Clark lowered his long dark lashes over his amazing eyes. 'No,' he said.  'But I can help you shop for jeans.  I'm going to Victoria on the weekend to do some Christmas shopping.  I was going to take the bus.'

'Clark.  I don't think the bus....'

'We could rent a car, instead.'

'I have a car,' said Lex.  'A Porsche.'

'I heard about that,' said Clark.  'I heard a lot about that.  People saw you drive in off the ferry from the Mainland.  They'll still be talking about it years from now.  Do you really want to risk it on the road from Chemainus to Victoria?'

'Maybe not,' Lex agreed.

'Okay.  We can rent a car.  We'll share the cost and the driving time.  You can get your jeans.  I'll do my Christmas shopping.  How's that sound?'

'Fair enough,' said Lex.  'How much Christmas shopping do you have planned?  Family?  Girlfriend?'

'My parents,' said Clark.  'Some friends.  I don't have a girlfriend.'  He looked up under his lashes, again.  'Don't have a boyfriend, either.'

Lex kept his face carefully neutral.  He reminded himself that Clark was young, and he mustn't make him feel that he was being judged, like a freak.  'That simplifies things,' he said.

'Oh, yes?' asked Clark, with a hopeful smile.

'The fewer people you have to shop for, the more time I have to shop for jeans,' said Lex, and Clark's face fell.

But his disappointment only lasted for a moment.  'Well, it looks like we have a plan,' said Clark.  'Here's my home phone number.  Give me a call?'

'Sure,' said Lex.  'I'm looking forward to it.'

'Me, too,' said Clark, with a shy smile.

My God, thought Lex.  What have I got myself into?


***********

'Welcome to my humble castle, Mrs. Kent.'

'Thank you, kind sir,' said Mrs. Kent.  'Though it's not so humble, from what I have seen.  It's more like a palace or a manor.  So many beautiful paintings.'

'Thank you,' said Lex.  'I can't take credit for all that.  I haven't lived here since I was nine.  We left fourteen years ago, actually.'

Joy bounded forward to sniff at Mrs. Kent's shoes -- and to slobber on them.

'Now, Joy,' said Lex, gently but firmly.  'You must learn to greet our guests in a more polite fashion.  Sit!  That's it.  Now, shake.'  Lex lifted one of Joy's paws, and offered it to Mrs. Kent, who gravely shook it.  'Good girl,' said Lex.  He petted Joy, and she licked his hand.

Mrs. Kent laughed.  'I didn't mind the greeting I received,' she said.  'I live on a farm, after all, and she is just a puppy.'

'Ah, but we're never too young to learn good manners,' said Lex.  'Newfoundland dogs can't help slobbering, or shedding their coat, but they can learn to be polite.'   He tossed a ball down the hallway for Joy to chase.  'Come into the library for a moment, before we have lunch,' he added to Mrs. Kent.  'I want to show you something.'

Mrs. Kent followed him into the library.  'I found some paintings in the attics,' he told her.  'And I had them moved down here.'

'They're of Thetis Island,' she replied.  'This one looks like it's Group of Seven.  It should be in a museum.  Sorry, I didn't mean that as a criticism.'

'No offence taken,' said Lex.  'It belonged to my grandfather, and then my mother, and now to me. But it is of Thetis Island.  So are these.  What do you think?'

'They're beautiful,' Mrs. Kent replied.  'Who painted them?'

'My mother,' said Lex.  'She loved the island.  She was born here, and so was I.  I was born here in this house, like my mother.  You see, Mrs. Kent, I'm not an interloper, or someone who is only going to use the island and its resources to make money and run.  I wanted to impress that upon you from the start, before you hear the rest of my speech.'

'Are you going to make a speech, Mister Luthor?'

'Probably,' said Lex.  'I tend to break into speeches at every opportunity.  Please, continue to look at the paintings, while I find my files.  Ah, here they are.  Lunch should be served... and here's Marsha to announce it. Thank you, Marsha. We will be there in a moment.'  He offered Mrs. Kent his arm, and escorted her to the small dining room.  'I haven't eaten in this room, yet,' he informed her.  'I'm trying out all the dining rooms, in turn.'

She laughed.  'Why?' she asked.  'To find out which one you like best?'

'Exactly, Mrs. Kent.  I'm a scientist, at heart.  I like to explore and to experiment and to try new things.  But that doesn't mean I can't be loyal, once I've found something -- or someone -- to interest me.  Thetis Island has always interested me.  It's always been my home. My father took us to the United States, after the meteors hit.'

Mrs Kent flinched.  Maybe the mention of meteors brought up bad memories, but if the subject was considered to be verboten, here at the centre of the storm, it shouldn't be.  It couldn't be.  And Lex had no intentions of letting it be.  'A meteor hit a few feet away from me,' he said.  'I lost all my hair, and I was in the hospital for some time.'

'I'm sorry,' said Mrs Kent.

'No need for sorrow,' said Lex.  'It wasn't your fault.  And the meteors taketh away, but they also giveth.  I don't get sick. I heal fast if I'm hurt.  That's useful.  Losing my hair was worth it, I suppose.  But, I didn't invite you here to discuss my Meteor Mutant Status.  I understand that you are an experienced vintner?'

'I was,' said Mrs Kent.  'I worked with my father, in his vineyards, but that was some time ago.'

'Have you forgotten all you knew about grapes?' asked Lex.

'No.  I don't think so.'

'Fair enough,' said Lex.  'If you've remembered more than you've forgotten, and the rest will come back to you, we'll do fine.  If you agree to work with me, that is.  I pay very competitive salaries.  My winery will be a subsidiary of LexCorp, which means you'll be entitled to all the benefits of a LexCorp employee.  Here. Have a look at this.'  Lex passed a package of LexCorp information brochures over the table to her.  'And this,' Lex continued, handing her an old journal, as well.  'My mother's plans for her vineyard,' he explained.  'I'd like to bring them to fruition, so to speak.  After lunch, I'll show you what remains of her grape vines.  I hope they're not unsalvageable.'

'If they aren't salvageable, we could always buy new vines,' said Mrs Kent.

Lex noted the 'we' but didn't comment.  'I intend to buy lots of new vines,' he said.  'I mean to expand upon Mother's ideas.  She wanted a small, personal winery.  I want to sell on the world markets.  But I would like to save some of her original vines, to use as the core of my vineyard.'

'We'll do our best,' said Mrs. Kent.  'And please, call me Martha.'

************

'I'm not going to attempt to run LexCorp from here,' said Lex, as they walked around the ruins of Lillian Luthor's vineyard.  'The new central office will be in Vancouver, and I'll commute or do business online.  But I do intend to live here, most of the time.  The Thetis Island population is, what?  About three hundred people?'

'About that,' said Martha.

'And I and my staff are going to put a strain on the resources of such a small community.  I want to give back to that community, you see.  A winery will provide jobs.  And I've been thinking that people might want to start up their own small businesses.  I hear there aren't any decent stores on Thetis.  Why should people have to travel to Victoria to do any real shopping?  My memories of my childhood are vague, but I thought there were stores nearby, in those days.'

'A lot of people left, after the meteors,' said Martha.

'Ah,' said Lex.  'Maybe we need a community meeting.  I should introduce myself to the local populace.  Explain what I'm doing here.  Does that sound like a good idea to you?'

Martha thought about that for a long moment.  Then she said, 'This is a small community.  It tends to be a bit suspicious of outsiders.'

'I'm not an outsider,' said Lex.  'Even if I left for a while, I'm still one of you.  I'm a mutant myself, like your son, like Clark.'

Martha went a bit pale, and looked away, but she turned back, and said, 'Yes, perhaps you should tell people all this.   I think they see you as a rich outsider, who is here to play at living like a country gentleman.  They think you'll get bored after a while, and leave.  And we'll be left to clean up after you.'

'Is that what you think?' asked Lex.

'No,' said Martha.  'I knew your mother.  Not well, but I knew her.  I know she didn't want to leave, but your father insisted, and she was too sick to fight him.  You remind me of her, a lot.  I will accept your offer of a job.'

'Thanks,' said Lex.  'You have made me very happy.'


************
Chapter Three
************

The ghostly gray Porsche drew up in front of the ferry terminal.  Clark was already waiting there, looking rather impatient, though Lex was perfectly on time.  He handed the keys to Gina, and said, 'Have fun, but don't drive off any bridges.'

'Ha!' said Gina.  'That's more your style.'

Lex grinned.  'Want to meet the Wunderkind?'

'Why not?'  They climbed out of the car, and Joy bounced out joyfully.

Clark eyed Gina up and down as they approached, and didn't look too pleased.

'Gina, I'd like to introduce to you Clark Kent, the son of my new vintner, Martha Kent.  Clark, this is my associate, Gina Beaumarchais.  She handles all my business affairs, and she's in charge while we go on this trek to Victoria.'

Clark grinned, and shook her hand.  'Nice to meet you,' he said.

'Nice to meet you, too,' said Gina.  'How's school?'

Ouch, thought Lex.  Point out he's a schoolboy, and I'm an incipient child molester.  No, on second thought, thanks, Gina.

'School's fine,' said Clark.  'I'll be graduating this spring.  I'm planning to go to UVic.'

'The University of Victoria?' asked Lex.  That was better.  A University Student.  Not a child.  How easily am I corrupted.

'Yes, it's closer than UBC,' said Clark.  'I might be able to commute, if I can't afford to live on campus.  Ah, here comes the ferry.'

'Where do we buy tickets?' asked Lex.

'We don't,' said Clark.  'Not here.  We pay for the round trip in Chemainus on our way back.  Don't worry,' he added.  'I've done it before.  I'll take care of you.'  And Clark grinned, again, damn him.

'Good,' said Lex, ignoring the double-entendre.  'Let's go.'  He snapped Joy's lead to her collar, and she looked up at him trustingly.  He nodded at Gina, and gave his beloved Porsche a last farewell look.  Then he marched up the gangplank to the ferry at Clark's side.

Overhead, a pair of Bald Eagles soared, wing to wing.  They talked to each other -- little chirping sounds, nothing like one would expect from such great predators.

************

Because Joy was a dog, they had to stay on the car deck.  It seemed like discrimination, and Lex said so.

'Dog Liberation?' said Clark.  'If all dogs were trained to use toilets, I'm sure BC Ferries would reconsider.'

'No, I haven't trained Joy to do that,' Lex agreed.  'Yet.  We use the planters on our bedroom balcony.'

'We?' asked Clark, with a look of mock horror.  'I won't go near your balcony, when I visit.'

Lex refrained from pointing out that Clark wouldn't be visiting his bedroom any time soon.  'It's only a half hour trip,' he said.  'I guess we can deal.'

The Kuper was a small ferry, Clark told him, only carrying about 300 people and 32 cars, but it was new, built last year, and was pretty luxurious for its size.  'You should see the Nimpkish,' he went on.  'She works the Inside Passage, and she's tiny.  I worked on her last summer, to make some extra money.'

'So that's how you know so much about ferries,' Lex commented.  Then he winced at his own unintentional pun.

'I don't know that much,' said Clark, solemnly.  'I haven't had a lot of experience.  I'm just not entirely ignorant, that's all.'

'I see,' said Lex.  'That's good,  because I'm not experienced at all.'

'I find that hard to believe,' said Clark, leaning forward confidentially.  'I googled you.'

'You what?' asked Lex, with mock horror.

'Googled you.  It's not possible to keep secrets these days.  The internet knows all, sees all.  And you've got experience.'

'Which I am not about to impart to you, Clark.  You say you have some experience?  Fine.  Then you don't need me to teach you.  Take a course, or something.  Gay Studies 101.'

'That's not what I'm after.'

'What are you after, Clark?'

'Someone to be close to,' said Clark.  'I don't really fit in with most of the people around here.'

'There aren't many people around here,' said Lex.  'Small population.  There are, what?  Three hundred or so human souls on Thetis Island.  Five percent of three hundred is fifteen.'

'I don't even think it's that many,' said Clark.  'There are two guys who live together, out by Pilkey Point.'

'That's where you got your experience?'

'What?  No!  They live together.  They're a couple.  I think they're getting married this summer.  At least that's what I've heard.  I don't know them well enough to be invited to their wedding, let alone....  God, Lex.'

'Okay, okay.  I apologize.'

'Good. Apology accepted.  A couple of Lesbians live over on Kuper Island.  I don't know them either, cause they're, like, Lesbians.'

'Where did you....'

'Get my experience?  Duh!  Victoria.  Vancouver.  Working on the ferry last summer.   You know, for a smart guy....'

'What I meant was, have you had a boyfriend?  That kind of experience?'

'No,' said Clark.  'Not yet.'

'Clark, I....'

'Never mind.  If you don't find me attractive....'

'Of course I find you attractive, Clark.  Who wouldn't?'

'Really?' asked Clark, brightening.

'Yes, really. But we just met, and besides....'

'Besides, I'm too young?  That's what I've been trying to tell you.  I'm eighteen. Well, almost. I'm old enough, have been for a couple of years now.  I know what I want.'

'Do you, Clark?  I don't.  And besides, I'm dangerous to know, like Byron.'

'Why?' asked Clark.  'You don't have HIV, do you?  I didn't read that on the internet, so you can't be positive.'

'No.  No AIDS, no HIV.  I can't get sick.  But I'm dangerous to know.   Maybe mad and bad, too.  I end up hurting the people I love, and I don't mean to do it.  I don't plan it, but it happens.'

'I can handle dangerous people,' said Clark.  'I'm stronger than you know.'

**************

'You should trust me, Lex.  I'm your boyfriend.'

Lex gave Clark his iciest glare, that had once stopped a Mafia boss in his tracks.  It didn't seem to work on Clark, so Lex devised an even tougher one.  That seemed to have an effect, because Clark looked down at the ground, and mumbled, 'Well, I'm almost your boyfriend.'

'Like you're almost eighteen?' said Lex

Clark looked properly horrified, 'You're not going to make me wait until then, are you?' he wailed.

Lex hushed him with a curt gesture, and opened the door to the Budget Rental Car office.   Clark looked offended this time, but he followed, still muttering protests about Better Bargains Elsewhere.  Lex handed him Joy's leash.

Over the last couple of years, since he broke away from his father, Lex had developed a lethally predatory walk, which he used on occasion, and this was one of those occasions.   He prowled toward the clerk at the front desk, smiling his most shark-like smile.

'We are renting a car to drive to Victoria,' he announced.  'Your best car.'

And it had better be your best car, his eyes said, or else.

*********

'Was it really necessary to scare that poor clerk half to death?' asked Clark later, as they drove down the highway.

'The clerk survived,' Lex pointed out.

'He closed up shop after we left. Probably had a migraine.'

'The vacation will do him good. He looked like he needed one.'

'This is Chemainus, not New York,' Clark pointed out, quite unnecessarily.  'You didn't need to be so sarcastic.'

'It was a car rental agency,' said Lex.  'Not Mother Theresa's Mission in Calcutta.  I don't think I'll burn in hell for it.  Can we talk about something else for a few minutes, like the scenery?  Or the weather.'

'Sorry,' said Clark. He drove for a while in silence, then said, 'Do you like the scenery?'

'It's fine,' said Lex. 'Lots of trees.'

'How about that weather?'

'Yeah,' said Lex.  It was raining, as usual.

'Lex?  Did I do something to piss you off?'

'No.'  Not in the last five minutes.

'Because I get the feeling you're pissed off.  If you didn't want to go shopping, why are we....'

'I want to go shopping,' Lex declared.  'I'm going to get some jeans, and boots, and an SUV, or something like that.  Something more suited to country roads.  I'm sorry I didn't go with your advice to rent from your regular agency, but they don't have an outlet in Victoria, and I can drive one way in this horror of a car, but not both.  I'm buying an SUV in Victoria, and we'll drive back in that.'

'Makes sense,' Clark agreed.

'Good,' said Lex.

'But you're pissed off at me,' Clark insisted.  Lex didn't respond.  'I'm not going to molest you, or anything, you know,' Clark went on.  'I'm not going to, like, grope you or anything gross like that.'

'Good,' said Lex.

'Are you sure you don't find me repulsive?  Because I'm getting that feeling.'

Lex sighed.  Clearly, unless he explained a few things, they were going to be having this conversation for the next 50 miles or so.  'Clark?  What do you know about my father?' he asked.

'Lionel Luthor?  He's filthy rich.'

'Exactly,' said Lex.  'Filthy being the operative word here.'

'Isn't he running for president, or something?  I don't understand American politics.'

'Who does?' said Lex. 'He's running for president, yes.  Well, he's running in the Republican primaries, and if he wins, he'll be running for President. He'll probably win.  He's filthy rich.'

'Okay,' said Clark.  'So?'

'He's my father, Clark.  That makes me his son.'

'Well, sure, but....'

'He wants to be President of the United States -- as a Republican.  He goes to church every Sunday, holding his bible.  Even Satan can quote scripture.  There have been rumours about me for years, as you discovered, but rumours can always be denied, or ignored.   Thetis Island is a small community.  If we started seeing each other, eventually it would be undeniable.  People wouldn't be able to ignore it.  I had a boyfriend in school.  His name was Duncan.  Some of the other boys started to notice and to harass us.  Bully us.  I wanted to fight back, but Duncan refused.  We... we broke up.'

'What happened to him?' asked Clark, after a long silence.

'He got hit by a car,' said Lex.  'A hit and run.  I never found out what happened to him after that, but I guess he died.'

'And you think something like that might happen to me?'

'Something like that happens to all my lovers,' said Lex.  'I keep it really casual, now.  It's safer.'

'I can keep you safe,' said Clark.

'Clark, even if your mutant powers make you strong, they don't make you invulnerable.  There is no such thing as invulnerable.  If he can't hurt you, he'll hurt someone close to you, and that would hurt you even more, and make you hate me even more.  Sometimes the safest sex is none at all.'

'You sound like a fundamentalist preacher,' said Clark.

'I'm just telling you the truth,' said Lex.  'I'm giving you fair warning.  I told you I always ended up hurting the people I love.'

Clark stopped the car, and turned to Lex, his eyes shining.  'You love me?' he asked.

'Don't jump to conclusions,' said Lex.

'You love me,' said Clark. 'You love me!'

****************

'We are now entering Victoria, the provincial capitol of British Columbia, and the home of the newly wed and the nearly dead,' Clark announced, like a tour guide.  He grinned at Lex's wry expression, and added, 'Hey! I'm your boyfriend now.  You have to humour me. Especially since you won't even let me kiss you.  Just because we're going shopping in Victoria doesn't mean we have to behave like Victorians, does it?'

'I don't kiss on a first date,' said Lex.

'Since you say you keep things casual, that must limit your chances.  A lot.  I mean, how often do you have a second date?'

'Hmm?  Oh, I just said I didn't kiss.  I said nothing about other acts of sexual congress.'

'Sexual congress? You're really turning me on here. Not.'

'Fellatio, for example.'

'I'm sure that's much more fun than it sounds.... Lex! I'm driving, here.  Oh, look.  There are the Legislative Buildings.  We did a school tour of them two years ago.'

'Maybe I'll run for public office,' said Lex.  'Premier Luthor.  How does that sound?'

'If you want a future in politics, stay out of BC provincial politics, unless you want a reputation as a flake.  And if your dad becomes the next American President?  You'd be finished. A flake, and an American.'

'That gives me an idea for a slogan.  "Provincial Politics: Not Just For Flakes And Americans Anymore." What's funny?'

'If anyone tells you not to do something, you just try to find a way around it, don't you?  Except for us.  You won't fight for us.'

'Oh, no.  I'll fight for us, baby.  If it comes to a fight, I'll fight for us.  But I don't want to fight you.  I don't want to be your enemy. I don't want you to end up believing I destroyed your life.  That you never had a chance, because you got involved with me.'

'Did someone say that to you, Lex?  I won't.  I swear.  That day at the river?  You risked your life to save me.  That was....'

'About that day at the river, Clark.'

'I know, I know.  I'll talk about it. Soon, I promise.'

'I want to be sure you're not suicidal, that's all. It's been worrying me.'

'Suicidal!  No.  Are you still thinking that?'

'You jumped off a bridge, Clark.  You're a teenager, and you think you're gay….'

'I am gay. No question about it.'

'And lots of gay teenagers get suicidal.'

'Not me. We'll talk about it tonight, when we get home.  Okay?'

'Okay,' said Lex.

'There.  We had our first argument,' said Clark.  'As boyfriends, I mean.  Before our first kiss.'

'I'd fight for us, Clark.  I want you to believe that.  I'd fight my father, but I can't guarantee I'd win.'

'We'd win,' said Clark.  'We.'

'My father is... my father.  He's filthy rich, like you said.  I'm just rich.  It's money I inherited from my mother.  My father has more power, and he has no scruples.  What do we have on our side?'

'Love,' said Clark.

************

They pulled up at the car dealership, and Clark got out on his side.  Lex started to join him, then saw that a young woman, dressed in a very smart black suit, was walking toward him.  She eyed the rental car, and smiled, but it was a kind, understanding smile, not at all shark-like and sarcastic.

'You need a new car,' she said, sympathetically.  'And you're here to see if everything they say about the Mercedes-Benz is true.'  She smiled up at Clark, dressed in his jeans and checked shirt, just as respectfully as if he were wearing an Armani suit.  Point one for her, thought Lex.

Clark smiled back.  'Not me,' he said.  'My friend here needs an SUV.'

Lex got out of the car, wearing his Armani suit.  The saleswoman's eyes narrowed slightly, re-assessing her chances of making a good sale today.  'Well,' she said.  'You've come to the right place. We carry the M-Class Sports Utility Vehicle.  Was that what you had in mind?  The G-Class is....'

'Far too much of a gas guzzler for today's climate,' said Lex.  'I'd be stoned in the streets.'

'And we don't want that,' said the saleswoman.  Her tag identified her as Jennifer Wong.  'Please, come with me, gentlemen.'

************

'I've never seen anyone buy a car so fast,'  Clark commented, as they drove away.  Jennifer had promised to see that their rental car was returned.

'Joy likes it,' said Lex.

'You're nuts,' said Clark.  'What do dogs know about cars?'

'Joy likes you, too,' said Lex.  'That's why I'm putting up with you.'

'Oh!  Well, she's a smart dog.'

'It's your turn to shop,' said Lex.  'Then we'll get my jeans and boots and go home.'

'And have sex?'

'And kiss,' said Lex.  'Let's not rush things.'

'We'll kiss,' said Clark.  'Then we'll have sex.  Try out that fellatio.'

'Clark!  I'm driving.  And I just bought this car.'

'Promise me we'll have sex, and I'll shut up about it.'

'Blackmailer.  Okay, it's a promise. We'll have sex. Where do you want to go Christmas shopping?'

'Not anywhere in your price range,' said Clark.

************

'Those are sexy jeans,' Clark admitted.  'Even if they are way over-priced.  Can we go home and....'

'Clark! You promised.'

'Yeah, but you're not driving,' said Clark.  'You're just shopping.'

'If you behave,' said Lex.  'I'll let you drive part of the way home.  And I still need to find boots.'

'Yes, lets go find you some sexy, over-priced boots, and then....'

'Go home,' said Lex.

*************

They were driving home, at last, along the Trans-Canada Highway, heading north toward Chemainus.  Clark was behind the wheel, and commenting on the way the Mercedes steered.  Lex was reading the manual, and studying the dash board.  Joy was chewing on a dog biscuit, but eyeing Lex's new boot laces, lustfully.

It was between Mill Bay and Cobble Hill that Clark turned the car off the highway and onto a smaller access road.  He pulled over to the shoulder and turned to Lex.  'I can't stand it any longer,' he said.  'I have to kiss you.'

'Clark, I hardly think....'

'Shut up,' said Clark.  He bent his head, and pressed his lips against Lex's.  His mouth was warm, overwhelmingly warm, and his breath was sweet, like the breath of spring.  Lex's head was spinning with mystical images of angels and eternity and the birth of planets from the dust of stars.  Clark lifted his mouth away, and the movement tore a hole in Lex's heart that he knew would not be filled until Clark filled it with his next kiss.  'There!' said Clark.  'I had to know.  It wasn't so bad, was it?'

'No,' said Lex. 'Not bad at all.'

'I know I'm not very experienced, but I'll practise a lot and get better at it.'

'If you practise,' said Lex.  'It will be with me, got it?'

'Sure, Lex,' said Clark, smugly.  'Like I said, there are only two other gay people on Thetis Island.'

'And they're a couple,' Lex reminded him.  'They're getting married.'

'So let's get home,' said Clark.

'Hey! I wasn't the one who stopped the car,' said Lex.

Clark was about to start the engine again, but Joy was whining, and scrabbling at the car door.  'I guess she has to go,' said Clark.  'She's been pretty patient with us, for such a small puppy.'

'Okay, girl,' said Lex.  'Out you go, but I'm going with you.  This is strange territory for us.  It's getting dark, too, so hurry up.  There are bear and cougars and wolves around.'

'Not normally so close to towns,' said Clark.  'But you never know.'

Joy squatted in the grass for a moment, then gave herself a shake and looked around.

'Come on, Joy,' said Lex.  'I know this has been a boring day for you, but we can go sight-seeing tomorrow.  Supper?  A nice swim?'

'I've been thinking,' said Clark.  'It's Joy you love, not me.'

'Of course I love Joy,' Lex told him. 'But it's a different kind of love.'

'Uh-huh,' said Clark.

Joy was sniffing around, seeming to be very curious about something, and Lex was getting impatient, but he didn't want to lose his temper with her.  She had, as Clark pointed out, been very good all day, through the long journey, and the shopping, and the conversations and tensions between Lex and Clark.  She needed to stretch her legs, beyond a doubt. It was getting dark, though, and....

Joy raised her head, and sniffed the air.   Then, she took off at a run, toward the woods.

'Joy!' Lex shouted.  'Come back here.  That little bitch needs an obedience class, whatever you say,' he told Clark, who had climbed out of the car to join him.

'Lex!' said Clark.

'What?  I wasn't calling her names, Clark.  She really is a bitch.'

'It's not that,' said Clark.  He was looking off toward the woods, in the direction that Joy had run.  'Come on, we should follow her.'  He took off after Joy, and Lex followed him.

'When I catch her, I'm going to scold her very severely,' said Lex.

Clark said nothing.  Joy was barking, her voice deep, and Lex had the impression it was mournful.  What would make such a happy puppy sound so sad?

Clark stopped in his tracks, and Lex almost ran into him.  'What is it?' asked Lex.  He peered around Clark's back. Joy was sitting on the ground, beside a body.  A human body.

And then Lex noticed the smell.  He stepped up close, covering his mouth, and looked down.  'We should call the police,' he said.

**************

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police North Cowichan Detachment Headquarters offered few distractions in its waiting area. Some year-old magazines, none of which interested Lex for more than 38.6 seconds.  He'd called Gina and given her an update on his ETA.  He'd played a game on his BlackBerry, until his interest in killing fantasy foes began to wane.  Finally, in desperation, he got up and began to study the Wanted posters on the walls.

He read some of the information on the posters to Joy, as she sat beside him.  'Wanted On A Canada-Wide Warrant,' he read.  'Rape and Murder. Breaking and Entering. Reward Offered.  Think we can track some of these losers down, Joy, since you're such a great detective? Earn a little extra money?   Look.  This one looks like Dad's Henchman.  The one who kidnapped me.  But, on second thoughts, I owe him a favour. I wouldn't have you for a friend, if not for him.'  Joy whined a little and pressed against his leg, as if seeking comfort -- or perhaps offering it.

'We have many more detailed Wanted lists on our website,' said the Constable at the front desk.  She waved at a computer terminal.

'Thank you very much, Constable Brennan,' said Lex.  'But these are fine.'   He went back to studying a poster for a woman Wanted For Escaping Custody, and wondered what she'd been in custody for in the first place.  She looked as if she were capable of anything, up to and including taking out his father's Henchman, and Lex thought it was a pity he'd probably never meet her.

The front door burst open and two people came running in.  One of them was Martha Kent, which led Lex to surmise the identity of the man with her.

'My son, Clark Kent?  Is he still here?' asked Jonathan Kent.

'He's giving his statement to a police officer,' Constable Brennan informed him.  'Please have a seat.  He should be out shortly.'

'Mrs. Kent?  Mr. Kent?' said Lex.  'Clark is fine.  Please don't be worried.'

Jonathan Kent turned, saw Lex, and surmised his identity as easily as Lex had done for him.  'What were you thinking?' he demanded.  'Dragging a teenage boy into something like this?'

'I didn't drag Clark into anything,' Lex protested.  'It was an accident.'

Martha Kent put a hand on her husband's arm, but the man shook it off, and stepped up to Lex, radiating outrage.  Joy stepped between them, as if she could defend him with her small body, and painful memories lanced through Lex's heart.  'If you are going to hit me,' said Lex.  'Let's go out in the parking lot.  All this has been upsetting to my puppy, and I'd rather she didn't have to witness that, too.'

'Your puppy?' asked Kent, sounding bewildered.

'Her name is Joy,' said Lex.  'She will protect me at the cost of her own life, without question.'

Jonathan Kent looked down at Joy, and she looked back at him, with her gentle puppy eyes.  Kent visibly deflated.  'No, of course I'm not going to hit you,' he said.

'Good,' said Lex. 'Because we haven't even been introduced.  I'm Lex Luthor.' He held out his hand, and Kent shook it.

'Jonathan Kent,' the man replied.  'My apologies.  My wife and I are upset.  This is....'

'This is an upsetting incident,' said Lex.  'It will be more upsetting to the friends and relatives of the young woman who was murdered, when her identity is confirmed.'

'Yes, that's true,' said Kent, looking even more abashed.

'Do the police know who she is?' asked Martha Kent.

'We are pursuing our investigations,' Constable Brennan said, helpfully, and Lex now realized she had left the desk and was standing beside him, monitoring the situation.  'Would you people like some tea, or coffee, while you wait?'

'Not  me,' said Lex, who had tried out their coffee earlier.  'Now that Mr and Mrs Kent are here, I'm off home.  It's getting late.  Please tell Clark that....'

A door opened down the hall, and Clark came rushing out.  'Lex!  Lex, you're not driving home alone.  I told you already.  It's dark and you don't know these roads.'

'I'll manage,' Lex began.

'No,' said Clark, with impressive firmness for someone so young.  He turned to speak to the Constable who had followed him down the hall.  'Look, we've told you all we know.  Can we go now?  You have our addresses, and we'll be available if you have more questions.'

After a moment, Constable Waring nodded.  'Fair enough,' he said.  'We'll be in touch.'

'My son certainly isn't a suspect, is he?' asked Kent.

'Dad!' said Clark.

'Of course not,' said the Constable.  'Your son and his friend found the body, and they've been providing us with information.  That's all.'

'Fair enough,' said Kent.  'Let's be going, then. Clark?'

'No,' said Clark.  'I'm driving Lex home.'

'Clark, I'm perfectly capable of driving myself.'

'Clark, Lex can drive himself.  You're coming with us.'

'Clark, let Mr Luthor....'

'Mom. Dad.  I'm driving Lex home.  We'll be right behind you the whole way.  It's not that far.  We can talk more on the ferry.'

'Clark....'  Lex tried one more time.

Clark looked at him, his expression purely pissed-off teenager.  'Can we stop talking about this, and just leave?' he asked.  'I'm hungry.  We haven't eaten since noon!'

************

The drive to the ferry was mostly silent.  Lex had tried discussing the Wanted posters, but Clark hadn't seen anything funny about them.  'Some people are monsters,' he said.

'Your parents are nice,' Lex offered, at last. And then he winced at his own words, even before Clark favoured him with a brief, pained glance.  What teenage boy likes to hear his parents described as 'nice', thought Lex.

'They can be a real pain,' said Clark.  'Rushing here to rescue me, like I was five years old.'

'They love you,' said Lex.

'I know,' said Clark.  'But I'm eighteen.  Almost.  And I was with you, and you're a responsible adult.'

'Am I?' asked Lex.

'Too responsible, sometimes,' said Clark.  'You have been behaving with... with complete propriety.  Is that the word?  I was the one who wanted to park and make out.  This was my fault, if anyone is at fault.'

'No,' said Lex.  'It was the fault of the murderer.'

'Yes,' said Clark.  And then they were silent, again.

************

Martha insisted that they all come to the Kent farmhouse for dinner.  Clark seconded that motion, and Lex, though he really wanted just to go home and relax, felt conspired against.  But, on the other hand, he did owe the Kents some consideration, he thought.  Whatever Clark said, he did bear some responsibility for what happened to Clark while in his company.  Clark gave him a disgusted look when he said so.  'Just come to dinner,' he said.  'I'm hungry.'

The Kent homestead was lovely.  A cottage covered in wisteria vines.  It must be beautiful in the summer, he told Martha Kent.

'It is, thank you, dear,' she said.

'It's nothing compared to Luthor Manor,' Jonathan Kent commented.

'Luthor Manor?  Is that what they call it these days?  My great-grandfather would turn over in his grave,' Lex replied.  'He called it Logres, but then he was a romantic fool and that was back in the Nineteenth Century.  He was a big fan of King Arthur.  But to reply to your assertion, Mr Kent, I love my house because I inherited it from my mother.  I'd feel the same about it if it were a cottage like yours.  I do assure you, my praise is completely sincere.'

'I see,' said Jonathan Kent.  He looked confused, and once again, Lex wondered what people had heard about him.  Or perhaps they had heard nothing, either for good or for ill, and had merely jumped to conclusions based upon his wealth and his last name.

'My illustrious ancestor came from a time when people had large families,' Lex continued, as Martha ushered him inside the cottage.  'Children. Grandchildren.  Great-grandchildren.  Retainers by the score, if you were a Laird, like his father.  He expected to have a large family himself, I'm sure.'

'What happened?' asked Martha.

'His children died, all but a son and a daughter.  The son, my grandfather, inherited the house upon his death.  My mother was his only surviving child.... This is lovely,' he went on, indicating the view from the dining room.  'Ah, you have a sail-boat.'


'Yes,' said Clark, joining him at the window.  'Dad and I built her several years ago.  She's quite fast.'

'Like you,' Lex whispered.

'Let's eat,' said Martha, from the kitchen.  'I was getting dinner ready when we got the call.  I just stuck all the food in the fridge. But I'm sure I can rescue it.'

'Please, Mrs Kent....'

'Martha!' said Martha.

'Please, Martha. Don't go to any trouble for me.  You've had a stressful enough day.'

Clark tugged Lex over to the table.  It was round, just big enough for four people.  Clark pushed him down into a chair.  'Sit!' he said.  'Let me get you some tea.'

Lex sat, carefully poised on his chair, as if he were at a state dinner.

'And relax,' Clark added.

Lex relaxed, fractionally, resting one forearm on the table.  Clark looked down at him, shook his head and sighed, but went to the kitchen to make tea.  Joy padded after him, with a hopeful expression on her face.  'I'll get her something to eat,' said Clark.  'We have a dog -- a Golden Retriever.  He's out roaming around right now, but he's pretty friendly anyway, so don't worry.  If he shows up, he'll probably just be curious about his new neighbour.'

'I'm not worried,' said Lex.  Clark was chattering more than usual, he thought, wondering what it meant.

The Kents served dinner.  Spaghetti and Meatballs, warmed in the microwave.

'It was better when it was fresh,' said Martha.

'It's fine,' said Lex.  'Please don't apologize.'

'I'm sorry,' said Martha. Then she laughed.  Then they all laughed a little.

The big Golden Retriever came bounding in, saw Joy, and barked.  Joy bounced up to him, and offered her nose to sniff.  Clark told Lex his name was Shelby, and called the dog over to be introduced.

'Where did you buy your puppy?' asked Mr Kent.

'I didn't buy her,' said Lex.  'She was a gift.'

'You said something in the police station -- that she'd defend you to the death.'

'Joy is a Newfoundland Dog,' said Lex.  'They are rescue dogs, guardian dogs.  My mother had one.  She called her Nana, after the dog in Peter Pan. In the original story, she was a Newfoundland, even if the Disney movie made her a St Bernard.  I grew up with her, rather as the Darling children did with their nanny.'

'It must have been hard when she died,' said Clark.  'At least I assume she must be dead, by now.'

Lex put down his fork, because his hand was shaking, just a little.  He took a sip of water, and steadied his pulse before he spoke.  'I was down by the beach the day the meteors hit,' he said.  'Nana was with me.  My father came looking for me, and he found me lying under Nana's body.  She protected me from the worst blast of the meteors.  I lost my hair, but I lived, because of her.  What's wrong, Clark?'

Clark had turned white.  He put down his fork, and said, 'Excuse me everyone.  I just have to... to fill the water glasses.  I'll be right back.'  He grabbed a couple of glasses and left the table.

'Clark?  What did I say?' asked Lex.  'Excuse me, Mrs Kent.  I'll give Clark a hand, and I'll be right back.'  The elder Kents were looking a bit pale, too.  This was ridiculous, thought Lex.  He followed Clark to the kitchen.  'Clark, I'm sorry,' he said, as he joined Clark in the kitchen.  'But you asked how Nana died.  If you're going to run off every time I mention the meteors....'

'That was a traumatic day,' said Clark.

'It was almost fourteen years ago,' said Lex.  'But it happened. I'm a mutant. So are you.  We should be over it by now, and capable of discussing it in a rational manner.  Have you considered therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder?'

'That's not funny,' said Clark.

'I wasn't joking,' Lex replied.

'Boys?  What's wrong?' asked Martha, from the kitchen door.

'Nothing at all, Martha, I assure you.  It's late, and I should be getting home.  I have a busy day tomorrow.  Dinner was lovely, and I thank you for your hospitality.  I'll be looking forward to our first day working together on the vineyard.  Would next Monday be too early?'

'No, but....'

'That's wonderful,' said Lex.  'I'll see you then.  Mrs Kent.  Mr Kent.  Clark.  Come on, Joy.  Let's be going home?'

'Lex?' said Clark, his expression desperate.

'Think about what I just said,' Lex replied.  'Give me a call, sometime?  When you have an answer.'

'Sure,' said Clark, his expression now sad.  But he looked away, and said no more.

***********

'What did you tell them?' asked Gina. 'The Mounties, I mean?'

'The Mounties?' Lex smiled.  'They hate that term.  They call themselves The Force, but I object to that term on philosophical grounds, so I call them the RCMP.'  He kicked off his shoes, loosened his tie, and leaned back in his chair.  'I told them what I know, of course.  All that I know, and only what I know.  They didn't ask me to speculate, so I refrained from any and all speculation.'

'But you told them what you know?  Everything?'

'Everything I deemed it wise to reveal that I know.  The similar killings in New York, for the most part.  I managed to seem like a shaken but determined and helpful civilian, as I babbled that this was the second such body I'd seen.'

'And the first such body was left on your doorstep?' asked Gina. 'You told them that?'

'How could I hide it? It's a matter of public record,' said Lex.  'I could scarcely conceal the fact. It would look really suspicious if I did. And the thing is, I really didn't want to.'

'This has drawn attention to you again,' Gina pointed out.

'It couldn't be helped,' said Lex. 'It was an accident.'

'Was it?'

'And I thought I was paranoid,' Lex observed.  'No one could possibly have known we would be at that particular spot at any time in the next century.  It was purely random.'

'Why were you there?' asked Gina.

'Joy needed to stretch her legs,' said Lex.

'So this was all because of Joy?'

'Gina.'

'I'm just doing my job, Lex.  Watching out for patterns, trying to predict what might happen next. It's my job.'

'Sorry,' said Lex.  'Clark pulled off the main highway because he wanted to neck.'

Gina stared at him for a moment.  'Clark?' she said, at last.

'I don't think Clark was the murderer,' said Lex.  'Do you?  If so, why would he pull up right there?  The corpse might have remained undiscovered for a long time, if we hadn't happened along.  And besides, I'm sure this is one of our cases.'

'Positive?' asked Gina.

'No. Clark was right there the whole time, so I didn't dare take samples.  Besides, I think the body was too decomposed for samples to be of any use.  But after it's released to the family, arrange for samples to be taken before the body is buried, would you?'

'Of course, Lex.  But... I'm only saying this because I have your best interests at heart....'

'I know, Gina.  Don't trust anyone completely, and that applies to Clark as well.'

'He's just a boy, and an attractive one, but you don't know what he's capable of.  He could be our suspect.'

'I doubt that, Gina.  The other murders happened in New York, and Atlanta.'

'So?  There are such things as planes, you know.  Or maybe he can fly without them.'

Lex laughed, 'Sure he can,' he said.  'But why would he go so far just to kill?  How does that fit with our pattern?'

'We didn't really have a pattern,' said Gina.  'Nothing that I would call a pattern.  Just the wounds and the traces you think are extraterrestrial.  There was no pattern to the killings otherwise.  If you're right, and this is an alien doing the killings....'

'I'm right,' said Lex.  'I know I'm right.'

'Okay.  Then, it's an alien.  Who knows how they think?  Maybe he didn't want to foul his own territory.'

Lex shuddered at hearing Clark discussed so coldly, even in theory, but he knew it was necessary to be objective, and not allow his personal feelings to blind him to any possibility.  'Then why do it this time?' he asked. 'And I don't think it's Clark.  He looked suitably upset to me.'  He thought for a moment, and added, 'But I had the strange feeling he knew the woman, or that he thought he knew her.  He didn't say anything though.  Not to me.'

'Just be careful,' said Gina.

'I'm always careful,' said Lex.

'No you're not,' said Gina.  'You always rush in where angels fear to tread.'

'Are you calling me a fool?' asked Lex, but he was smiling.

***********

Lex lay awake a long time that night, without admitting to himself what he was waiting for.


***********
Chapter Four
***********

Lex was wearing his new jeans, boots, and a heavy pullover sweater knitted by a member of the Penelakut band, that lived on neighbouring Kuper Island.  Joy had a new collar, and she seemed proud of it.  They strolled through the woods, Joy sometimes dashing ahead, sometimes ambling along beside him.

The climate of Thetis Island was mild, so even though this was early December, there were wild flowers blooming here and there, and some late blackberries on the bushes.  Lex picked a few to eat.  They were a bit tart, but not too sour.  He picked one for Joy, and she gulped it down and looked for more.

'Not too many,' he told her.  'I don't know if blackberries are good for dogs.  But bears eat them, and you look a bit like a bear cub.  I'm going to buy the Inn and the Marina.  What do you think of that?  I want to do it before our vineyard is a success, and the present owners try to push up the price.  I'm no fool, whatever Gina might think.  We'll have tours of the vineyard, and people can stay and have dinner at the Inn.  I'm going to build on to the Inn a little, but in the same Tudor style.  We'll have a restaurant, and boutiques with local arts and crafts.  Maybe sell these sweaters.  Woven wall hangings by local Salish artists.  Our own wine jellies.  Do you approve?'  Joy grinned up at him loyally.  'I hope the other local residents approve, but they'll probably think I'm trying to destroy the island with commerce.  But people are just as important as the ecology.  My vineyards and those boutiques could give people jobs. Good jobs, puppy.  Oh, and I'm repairing the stables, too.  We're going to have horses here, again.  How about that?'

By now they had reached the banks of the river, and Joy happily dived in for a swim.  'Don't go too far,' he told her.  'I don't want to have to dive in to save you.'

Joy splashed along close to shore.  Lex tossed her ball for her a few times, then sat on a rock to enjoy the view.  Joy came to sit beside him, and rest her head on his knee.  He ruffled her fur, and sighed.  'This is the good life, isn't it, girl?  What more could I want?'

Joy sat up, suddenly, looking out over the water.  A head appeared from below the surface, not too far from shore.  The river water streamed over a face that looked as if it were carved from marble.

Clark stood up, and the water streamed over his naked torso.  The weak winter sunlight caressed his shoulders and arms and abdomen.  He walked toward Lex, and as more of his body appeared from the water, Lex could see that he was totally naked.  Sunlight glinted off the water droplets that clung lovingly to his thighs and his groin.  There was no sign that the cold water affected him as it would any normal man.  No sign at all.

Lex got to his feet.  The sensible thing to do was to make a joke about this, and then create an excuse to leave.  Something about work.  Stable hands to hire.  Tangled grape vines to untangle.  Multinational corporations to buy out.  LexCorp needed its CEO at the helm, and Lex had been absent too often lately.

'Clark,' he said, and then Clark was too close to push away, the heat from his naked body too much to reject, his need too much to deny.

'I'm here,' said Clark.  'I'm drowning.  Aren't you going to save me?'


**************

Clark sighed, and Lex felt it all the way down to his toes.  He wanted to sit up and look at Clark's face, but he felt too lazy, lying here with his head on Clark's chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Clark sighed again.  'What?' asked Lex.

'That was good,' said Clark.  'I always wanted to do it, but I didn't trust anyone enough.'

'Why do you trust me?' asked Lex.  And why should he trust Clark?  Trust was dangerous, he thought.  He trusted Gina, to a certain extent.  He trusted Cassandra.  But he let neither of them in too close.  Not as close as it seemed he was letting Clark.

'I don't know,' Clark confessed.  'But from the moment we met, I felt a connection between us, and now it's real.  Lift up a little bit,' he ordered.  Lex obliged.  Clark ran his hand down between their bodies, and touched Lex's cock where it was still joined to his own body.  'It's real,' he whispered.  'You can do it again, if you like.' And Lex felt his cock swelling in response.  He looked down into Clark's face, which was beautiful in ecstasy, and he rose up on his knees to give Clark what he wanted.

It was an act of possession, he thought, and an act of worship.  It was giving and taking.  Moving forward and moving back.  'Clark,' he whispered.  'When I pull out, tighten yourself around me, to keep me.  That's it.  Like that.  That's so good, so good,  so good.  You're so hot inside, like hot wet silk.'  Clark put a hand up around Lex's neck and pulled him in for a kiss, and Lex was lost.

**********

They were lying in a hollow, beneath a tree, on a bed of dry leaves.   Lex lay back, and gazed up at the sky.  It was winter, so the tree branches were starkly black against the pale blue.  A lone eagle soared overhead, and Lex wondered where its mate was.  He could hear Joy playing with her ball quite happily.  At first she'd tried wrestling with them, thinking they were only playing, but when they'd pushed her away, she'd taken that in stride and ran off to find her own fun.

'It's late,' said Lex.  'I should be getting back.  If you've had enough, that is?'

'I'll never have enough of you,' said Clark.  'But I don't want to monopolize your time.  You'd soon get tired of me.'

Lex laughed.  'Tired of you?  No.  But we shouldn't spend too much time together.  People would get suspicious.'

'So?   Let them.  This isn't the nineteenth century, you know.'

'The nineteenth century?  Clark, only a few decades ago....'

'I know,' said Clark.  'We learned about it in school.  So, okay, it's not the twentieth century, either.  I told my parents I was gay.'

'What?  Already?  You're that sure you're gay?  You're only....'

'Almost eighteen.  And I'm sure.  I told my parents.  I told a few of my friends.'

'How did they react?' asked Lex. 'Your parents, I mean.'

'They didn't freak out and throw me out of the house,' said Clark.  Then, 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong,' said Lex.  'I should be getting back.  I've been gone for hours.'

'So?  You're the boss.  You can do what you like.'

'That's a fairy tale that only someone who is almost eighteen could possibly believe,' said Lex. 'In Paris I was working fourteen hours a day, at least.  I've gotten lazy since I moved here.'

'What?  Fourteen hours a day?'

'At least,' said Lex. 'Sometimes more.'

'You really need me to help you relax,' said Clark.  'Your parents freaked out, didn't they?'

'My mother died almost ten years ago,' said Lex.  'She never knew, but I don't think she would have freaked out.'

'But your dad did.  You said he killed your lovers.  But if they died in accidents, how can you be sure?'

'My father freaked out, Clark.  Trust me, the accidents weren't accidents.  At one point....'

'What?  Tell me.'

'You should know what my father is capable of, if you want to be my friend.'

'Your boyfriend,' said Clark.

'My father had me locked in a mental institution, called Belle Reve.  He used electroshock therapy on me.'

'They still use that, these days? For being gay? That's like, from the middle ages,' said Clark.

'Electroshock is still in use,' said Lex.  'Though no reputable psychiatrist would use it on gay people. My father drugged me, to make me look crazy.  A friend helped me get free, before I lost all my memories.'

'I wish I'd been there,' said Clark.  'I would have helped you escape, and your father would have paid for what he did.  And that psychiatrist should lose his license.  He should have tested you to make sure you weren't on drugs.'

'Don't try to go up against my father, Clark,' Lex warned him.  'He's rich and powerful, but it's more than that.  He has no morals, no limits at all.  He'll do anything to get what he wants. Anything.'

There was a rock buried in the ground, by the side of the hollow.  Clark reached out and smashed it with his fist.  The rock crumbled into dust.  Lex took Clark's hand and turned it over and over, but there was no mark on it.

'I told you I'm strong,' said Clark.  'I wasn't joking.'

************

Lex found Cassandra in the kitchen, supervising dinner preparations.  He waited respectfully by the door, but she lifted her head at his entrance, and smiled.  'I'll be with you in a moment, child,' she said.  'Have a cookie while you wait.'

Lex laughed.  'I remember your cookies,' he said.  'It's been too long since I had one.'

'Then have one,' said Cassandra. 'You shouldn't deny yourself the things you love.'

Lex offered Cassandra his arm, as they walked to the library together.  'What do you know about my self-denials?' he asked.  'The media portrays me as a spoiled rich brat.'

'Don't you play up to that?' asked Cassandra.

Lex poured them both glasses of wine, and sat across from her, pulling his chair up close, and leaning forward.  'What do you know about Clark Kent?' he asked.

Cassandra took a sip of her wine before answering.  'He has a reputation for being a nice boy,' she said, at last.  'Quiet.  A good student.  The Kents tend to keep to themselves a lot.  Why do you want to know?'

'Martha Kent is going to be working for me,' said Lex.  'Starting Monday.'

'But you didn't ask me about Martha Kent,' Cassandra pointed out.  'You asked me about Clark.'

Lex sat back in his chair, and sipped his wine.  'I think I may be falling in love with him,' he said.  'Does that disgust you?'

'Disgust me?  No, child. Why should it?'

'It would enrage my father,' said Lex.

'I'm not your father,' said Cassandra.

'Of course not,' said Lex.  'But the last few years, I've almost started to feel ashamed of what I am.  I keep fighting against my shame, against him, but it's an uphill battle.'

'Your father is an evil man,' said Cassandra. 'I almost wish your mother had never met him, except that then you wouldn't have been born.'

Lex laughed.  'Would that have been such a pity?' he asked.

'Yes, child.  It would have been a great pity.  You have so much to give to the world.  And besides -- what do you know about why your mother married Lionel Luthor?'  She leaned toward Lex, and whispered.  'Did your mother ever mention Veritas?'

'She told me everything she knew,' said Lex.  'I think she told me everything.  Toward the end, she wasn't quite sane.  My father poisoned her, the same way he poisoned me, but there was no proof.  I know now what he did, but I was too young at the time.'

'She married him to infiltrate Veritas,' said Cassandra.  'And then she had you, and you are her heir.  She passed the torch to you.'

And that was why I was born, thought Lex.  It is for me to take up the quarrel with the foe.

***********

Lex climbed the stairs to his bedroom, wondering if it would be insufferably lazy and luxurious of him to add an elevator to the castle, for nights like tonight.  There was a service elevator for the servants, but he could scarcely impose himself on them, by using it just because he was tired. It would make him look weak, for one thing.

He'd spent hours catching up on the backlog of work.  He'd spent another few hours sitting in front of the Library fire, thinking back to everything his mother had told him about Veritas and the Alien Invasion.  The thing was, his mother had died too soon.  Lex had only been thirteen, and Lillian hadn't given him enough information.   As far as Lex knew, nothing had been written down.  Also, Lex didn't know how much of Lillian's data he could trust. She had been crazy, toward the end, tortured by the psychotropic drugs.

Cassandra filled in some of the blanks for him.  'How much do you know?' she asked.

'Members of our family have known about the alien plot for generations,' said Lex.  'It was why my great-grandfather moved here.  Why your father moved here. Because this is where the aliens will be landing, when they invade.'

'Some of us are let in on the secret, yes,' said Cassandra.  'We all must take a sacred vow.  You were initiated in childhood, and I was there, to witness it, when Lillian told you of your destiny.'

'We know that aliens have been here before, and that they're planning an invasion to rule Earth.  The destroyed their own planet in a war, and only a few are left, but they can breed with humans, and rebuild their race.  We don't know how or why they can breed with humans, exactly, maybe because of a genetic accident, but that's the reason they're coming here.  The meteor shower was part of the plan for preparing the world for invasion.  The mutants are intended to be servants or vessels of some kind for the invaders.  That's why we must find a way to cure the mutants, or give them the ability to use their powers consciously.  Then they can fight against the invasion, instead of for it.'

'Good,' said Cassandra.  'What is Veritas?'

'Veritas is an organization designed to help the invaders.  They hope to gain political power, and work with the aliens.  That's why my father wants to be President of the United States.'

'How are we going to stop all this?' asked Cassandra.

'That's the problem, isn't it?' said Lex.  'Mother was gathering data, but she died.  There was something she tried to tell me, just before her death, but I wasn't listening properly.'

'What happened?' asked Cassandra.  'All I know is that she died. You say she was poisoned.'

Lex felt a chill, and leaned closer to the fire.  'It was just after the birth of my brother, Julian,' he said.  'She started acting strangely.  Not herself, at all.  Then... then Julian died, and after that, she went downhill fast.  I believed my father when he said it was severe post-partum depression that started it all.  But later, when he committed me to Belle Reve, I realized that Mother and I had many of the same symptoms.  When I escaped, I had blood tests, and they found psychotropic drugs in my system.  But Mother told me about a weapon, something that could be used to fight the aliens.  I'm sure of this.  She told me where it was, but I've forgotten.  Maybe that memory was wiped, when I was in Belle Reve.  I need to recover my memories, somehow.'

'Come here, child,' said Cassandra.

Lex came and knelt by her chair, and she took his head in her hands.  'Is this the Vulcan Mind Probe?' asked Lex.

'Hush!' said Cassandra, and then she was in his mind, opening doors and windows, spinning back through time, back and back, until....  'Ah, child,' she said.  'Why didn't you tell me?'

His head was on her knee, and he was fighting the tears, but one escaped.  'I'd forgotten,' he said.

'I'm sorry,' said Cassandra.  'It must have been terrible, to see that with your own eyes.'

'I needed to remember,' said Lex. 'But now I wish I could forget again.'

'Your mother wasn't well, you know that.'

'She thought she was protecting Julian by killing him,' said Lex.  'And she thought she was protecting me.  Father would have forced us to fight each other, she told me.  We would have hated each other, she said. But I would never have hated Julian.  I loved him.'

**********

Now he was climbing to his lonely bedroom.  Joy trotted at his heels, but he wanted Clark to be waiting for him.  He wanted Clark's arms around him.  He wanted that, and he feared it.  To want something so badly led to weakness and anger and violence.  Like his parents' marriage, he thought.  His father married his mother for her wealth and status.  His mother married his father to spy on him and protect the world.  But it had been far from any mere marriage of convenience. Looking back, he could see that there had been passion there, at one time.  He could read the signs, imprinted in his memories from his very early childhood.  The kisses.  The laughter.  The loving looks.  Why had Lionel killed Lillian?  Because he discovered her duplicity?  Out of jealousy, because he thought she had a lover?  Perhaps Lillian had indeed suffered from post-partum depression, and then, after she... after Julian's death, Lionel saw her as a liability that must be disposed of, despite his own feelings for her?

The drapes were closed over the French doors to the balcony.  Lex wanted them open, so he could see the stars.  He pulled back the drapes, and opened the doors.  Joy bounded out, and over to a planter, but not her regular one.  Someone sat on the marble edge, gazing up at the full moon.

'Clark,' said Lex.  'How did you get up here?'

'I'm a good climber,' said Clark.  'I always thought climbing up to a lover's balcony was romantic.'

'Yes, it's romantic,' said Lex.  'It's also really late and I'm tired.  You wore me out this afternoon.'

'No, I didn't.'

'And I spent hours catching up on work. Besides, your mother starts working here in the morning.  How embarrassing is that going to be if we just....'

'We've already done it,' said Clark.  'What difference will a few more times make?'

And then Clark took off his clothes, and his rhetorical question became an academic question, and Lex discovered he wasn't as tired as he'd thought.

************

'What's wrong?' said Clark.

'Nothing,' said Lex.

'Mom was right,' said Clark.  'Men don't talk in bed.'

'What? Your mother said that? To you?'

'You're a Puritan, Lex.  My parents can be pretty cool.  When I told them I was gay, they were a bit upset at first, but they still love me, and wouldn't try to change me.  My dad couldn't understand how two guys could fit together, though. That's how he put it. Fit together. I didn't try to explain. Mom just said, if you have two people in bed together, who can't talk about their feelings, how do they ever know where they are?  How do they know they're in love, if they can't talk about it?  And guys don't talk in bed.  She was right.'

'I've been talking to you,' said Lex.  'When are you going to talk to me?'

Clark sighed and lay back on the pillows.

'Never mind,' said Lex.  'Go home, Clark.  I need my sleep.  I'm sorry if I haven't satisfied you, but we all have our failings.'

'Failings?  You think you.... No!  God, Lex.  Nothing I ever did prepared me for this.  For you.  You're wonderful.  Did you think I was complaining?  I'm worried, that's all.  You seem different.  Sad, or worried about something.  Do you really think my parents will freak out about us?  They won't.  And even if they do, they won't do anything to hurt you, because they know it would hurt me.  They already know I like you.'

'It's not about that.  Go home, Clark. You need your sleep, never mind me.  Tomorrow's a school day, right?'

'You're not my father, Lex.'

'Sorry, but someone has to be responsible, here.'

Clark slung a leg over Lex, and straddled him.  'Tell me what's bothering you.  Tell me.'

Lex sighed, a bone deep sigh.  'You want me to trust you,' he said.  'You want me to talk to you.  But you won't talk to me, or trust me.'

'I trust you,' said Clark.  'I'm in your bed.  I let you inside my body.  But you want me to talk about things I don't like to talk about.  What do mutations have to do with this?'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'Like your mother said, how do we know where we are?  How do we know we're in love?  If we can't even talk about being mutants, and what that might mean for us in the future....'

Clark jumped out of bed, and moved restlessly around the room.  Lex was about to tell him to go home, for the third time, but then the boy stopped, and came back to the bed.  He stretched out on the silk sheets, and smiled.  'How do we know we're in love?' he said.  'You're right. Mom was right.  We know, when we know we can trust each other.  You trusted me with some things.  Now it's my turn.  But it's difficult.  I've never really talked about it to anyone.'

'What? I thought mutants had counselling, here in Canada.'

'We do,' said Clark.  'I mean they do. The mutants do. But I'm not a mutant.'

Lex felt a chill go down his spine.  'What are you then?' he asked.  'You have all these powers.  The meteors must have caused them.'

'I wasn't changed by the meteors,' said Clark.  'I came with them.  My parents said they found me naked, in a field, and I couldn't speak a word of English. They said there was a spaceship nearby, and they hid that, and drove me home in their truck.'

'A truck?  A red truck?'

'Yes,' said Clark. 'It was red.'

'I remember.  My father found me, and I was injured, and he carried me up to the road and your parents picked us up.  I don't remember that, but I remember the truck, and I remember you.  You... you were small, and wrapped in a red blanket, and you touched me. You touched my face.... Go on.'

'I'm not human, Lex.  And you're the first person I've ever told.'

Lex steadied his heartbeat, monitored his breathing, and calmed his mind.  This was what he'd been born to do, he thought.  He'd met an alien invader, and now he should look for ways to kill it  -- except that the invader was Clark, and Clark was his lover, not an it.  'I see,' he said.

'Do you hate me?  Are you afraid of me?  Are you going to kill me?  Are you going to report me and have me experimented on?  Because Mom and Dad have been warning me about this forever.  Are you going to do any of those things?'

'No,' said Lex. 'I don't think so.  It depends.'

'On what?' asked Clark.

It was Lex's turn to jump out of bed and walk around to clear his mind.  He wrapped himself in his robe, though, because he was so cold.  'Clark.  It depends on your answers to some questions.  Will you answer some questions for me?'

'Yes,' said Clark.  'I'll trust you, because I love you.'

Lex took a steadying breath, and imagined a glacier, cold and clear and impenetrable.  'You say you came here in the meteor shower.  Were there others?'

'I don't think so,' said Clark.  'The spaceship was small.  Just big enough for me.  I can show it to you.'

'Not tonight,' said Lex, thinking he'd start screaming any moment, but he mustn't. He must be rational, and not make assumptions.  About anything. He took another deep breath, and looked out the window at the stars, and thought about what he knew.

There was an alien invasion, he thought. There had been one -- except that one small child was no invasion.  And what harm had Clark done to anyone?  Yet.  But the invaders were supposed to breed with human women to build up their army.

Breed, he thought, and couldn't help laughing.  'Clark?'

'Yes, Lex?'

'You do know that I'm male, right?'

'I was under that impression, yes.'

'And you're definitely male.  And in our species, two males can't breed.'

'Well, duh.  I knew that,' said Clark. 'I don't think they can breed in my species, either.  I'd have to have sex with women to do that.'

'Do you want to have sex with women?' asked Lex.

'That's a really stupid question,' said Clark.

'Just answer it,' said Lex, in his coldest voice.

Clark jumped up and advanced on him, his magnificent body naked and ready.  'No,' he said. 'And that's my final answer.'

*************

 A soft tap at Lex's door woke him.  He mumbled something, dragging his eyes open.

'Sir?'

That was Dominic, Lex decided.  'Yes, Dominic?'

'You asked to be awakened at this hour,' his valet continued, opening the bedroom door.  'I have your clothes laid out.'

Lex sat up, still half asleep, and reached for his robe.  'I'm awake,' he said.  He climbed out of bed, and looked around.  Clark's clothes were not strewn all over the floor, at least. But that meant Clark must have gone home, without saying goodbye.  Lex was not sentimental, so the pang of grief he felt at that revelation was just his imagination, he decided.

'Sir?' asked Dominic.  'I was not aware you owned a red undershirt.'  He picked it up from amongst the tangled bedclothes.

'A red undershirt?  You mean a T-shirt?  Um... Yes, I bought one the other day, to wear with my jeans.'

The bathroom door opened, and Clark came out, slinging his jacket over his shoulders.  His hair was still slightly damp from the shower.  'There it is,' he said, eyeing the T-shirt in Dominic's hands.  'I was looking for it earlier,' he added for Lex's benefit.  'But I didn't want to disturb you too much.  You were fast asleep.  I'm Clark Kent,' he went on, offering his hand for Dom to shake, which the valet did, gingerly.  'My mother is helping Mr Luthor to build his winery.  I'm an old friend of Lex's.  He was born here, you know, and we were friends as boys, so I'm happy to see him back.'  Clark took the T-Shirt and stuffed it in his jacket pocket, turned to Lex, and smiled, happily.  'I should be going,' he said.  'But I'll see you later. Okay?'  He turned to go, then apparently changed his mind, and ambled up to Lex, bent to give him a quick kiss, and a hug.  'Bye,' he said.

'Goodbye,' said Lex, feeling out of his depth for the first time in years.  He watched Clark walk away, and then realized that Dom was doing the same.  'Ahem!' said Lex.

'Ah,' said Dom, turning back to his employer with a smile.  'You and Mr Kent are old friends?'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'Very old friends. We spent all last night talking over old times.'

'Of course, sir,' said Dom.  'I suppose you will be wanting to wear your jeans again, today?'

'I'm working in the vineyard,' said Lex.  'At least in the morning.'

'Very well, sir,' said Dominic.  'Would you be wanting me to order more jeans and undershirts?'

'Certainly not,' said Lex.  'I think we have enough.'

'Thank you, sir,' said Dom, with heartfelt relief.

**************

'Martha Kent was waiting in the breakfast parlour, sipping tea.  She rose politely, as her new employer entered.

'Please,' said Lex.  'As you were,' he smiled, and sat down across from her.  Joy, who had followed him downstairs, settled on the floor at his feet.  'How are you, this morning?'

'I'm fine,' said Martha.  'How about you?'

'I'm fine, too,' said Lex, helping himself to tea.  'And now that is settled, why don't we....'

'I saw Clark, when he got home this morning,' Martha went on.

'Yes?'  Lex put his cup down very carefully.  It was Wedgewood, Willow Pattern, had belonged to his mother, and Lex was fond of it.

'He told me he spent the night here, with you,' said Martha Kent.

'Mrs. Kent....'

'He told me he made that choice, all on his own, and that you didn't seduce him.  It was the other way around.'

'I'm making no excuses for my behaviour, Mrs. Kent.  I'm older than Clark.  I should have sent him on his way.  I have no excuse, except....'

'Except that Clark is attractive, and can be very persuasive.'

'It's not Clark's fault,' said Lex, firmly.  'It's entirely mine.'

'Do you see it as a fault, spending the night with my son?'

'I thought you would,' said Lex.  'He's a teenager.  He's still in school, and I'm... I'm older. A businessman.  Your employer.  It must look as though I think I can buy whatever I want.'

Martha Kent was silent for a moment, sipping her tea.  'That isn't how he described your evening together,' she said at last.

'He... he told you about our evening?' asked Lex, with horror.  'What did he tell you?' Though he really didn't want to know.

'He said you were very kind.  That he enjoyed your company, and had no intention of giving you up.  He's seventeen, Mr. Luthor. He's of age.  I can't control his sex life.'

'So, you're happy about this?'

'I'm happy that my son has found someone to treat him well.  I know he's been going off to Vancouver and Victoria every chance he can get, to pick up strangers.  That worried me.  His body may be invulnerable, but his heart isn't.  He trusts you.  He told me how much he trusts you.'

Lex stared at her for a long moment.  Then he said, in a strangled voice.  'Mrs. Kent, I swear to you....'

'I know,' she said.  'Why don't we go out, into the vineyard, and start work?  I think we need to discuss some things, away from any prying ears.'

'Good idea,' said Lex.  He pulled on his Indian sweater, and helped Martha into her jacket.  Joy jumped up, happy to be going out at last.

'Clark told me you remembered the first time you met,' said Martha, as they walked toward the vineyard.

'Only vaguely,' said Lex.  'I remember the truck.  My father told me he found me on the beach, and tried to carry me home, through the woods.  A truck stopped to pick us up.  I remember riding in the truck, and Clark touching my face.'

'Clark never forgot that,' said Martha.  'He couldn't speak a word of English when he arrived, but he kept looking for you.  Every time a car drove up, he'd run to the window, then turn away in disappointment.  At first, we didn't know why.  But he found some books with pictures of boys, and kept pointing to them.  After a few days, he learned the words.  He drew you, with  your hair all falling out.  He said,. "Boy?  Where boy?"  We told him your name was Lex, and then all he talked about was Lex.  Where were you?  We said you were sick in the hospital, and he wanted to go and see you.  We told him it was too far to go, but when you got home, we'd pay a visit.'

'But I never did come home,' said Lex.

'Clark cried.  He learned where your house was, and kept going there looking for you.  Then, he started to make up stories about you.  That you really were there in the house.  That he'd seen you, and talked to you.'

'Mrs. Kent.'

'Later, he seemed to grow out of it.  He made other friends.'

'Real friends,' said Lex.

'Other friends,' said Martha.  'But I don't think he ever really forgot.'

'He said something this morning,' said Lex.  'That we'd grown up together, here.  Perhaps that's what he believes.  It's not for me to destroy someone else's comforting illusions, Mrs. Kent, and I have no intention of doing so.  Is that what you're worried about?'

'No,' said Martha.  'I think that when Clark came here, he bonded to my husband and me, and then to you.  When he heard you'd returned, he was all excited, and wanted to run to you, right away.  We convinced him to wait a while, give you time to settle in.  We told him you probably wouldn't remember him, because it had been so long, and he seemed to accept it.'

'I see,' said Lex.  'That explains a lot.'

'I'm not going to deprive him of this happiness,' said Martha.  'And I'm not going to tell him he was a fool to trust you with his secret.  I hope you don't prove me wrong.'

Lex opened the door to the vineyard garden, and studied the array of tangled grape vines for a moment before answering.  'I hope I'm worthy of all this trust, Martha Kent,' he said at last.  'I owe you this much -- I'm a Luthor, on my father's side.  I'm a cutthroat businessman.  But I'm also a Ferguson, and I'd do anything to protect a friend….  What do you think?  Are the vines too tangled?  Are they beyond repair?'

'No,' said Martha.  'I've never met a tangled vine that was beyond repair.'

***************

They worked in the vineyard until noon, then stopped for lunch.

'I have to get back to running LexCorp now,' said Lex, when they'd finished eating.  'But in the meantime, I've taken a small liberty.

'And what is that?' asked Martha.

'I've had a room prepared, that you can use as an office.  If you like, of course.  If you'd prefer to work at home, that's fine.  But I thought it might be convenient to have an office here.'

'As long as it's not as big as your own office,' said Martha.  'The idea sounds wonderful.'

'Good.  Let me show you.  And I was sure you'd like something cosier than my own.  See?  This was my mother's study.'  He ushered her inside.

'It's beautiful!' said Martha.  'And warm.'

'There's a fireplace,' said Lex.  'Would you like a servant to light it?'

'I think I can manage,' said Martha, with a smile.

'Of course.  But don't hesitate to ask for any assistance you need.  I'll help as much as I can with the vineyard, for now, but later, I will probably be too busy.  If you need to, hire some local people, and charge their wages to LexCorp.  There's a new computer on your desk.  I set you up with a LexCorp email address, and the most up-to-date security system.  You are a LexCorp executive, so your computer use is not being monitored in any way.  The phone is a private line.  Any questions?'

'Not that I can think of right now,' said Martha.  She looked a little overwhelmed, but was trying to hide it.

'Don't worry,' said Lex. 'You'll settle in.  You do know what you're doing, and we got a lot of work done this morning. If I don't see you again today, I'll see you in the morning.'  He shook her hand, and left her to fix up her office to suit herself.

************

LexCorp hadn't fallen apart in his absence, as Gina was a good administrator, but there were some decisions only Lex could make and sign off on.  He dealt with them, and engaged in some video conferences with the Paris office.  The new Vancouver office was still in the planning stages.  He would have to make a trip there next week to approve the temporary office space and to discuss plans with the architect for the proposed tower.

It was nearly dinner time before he poked his head out of his home office, and he thought Martha must have gone home, but as he looked out the front windows of the manor, he saw that she had just left, and was about to climb into her car.

Clark appeared out of nowhere, a backpack over his shoulder.  Martha waved him over, and they had a spirited discussion, both of them waving their arms around.  Lex was just thinking of interfering, and telling Clark to listen to his mother and go home -- for he was sure that was the point of the argument -- when Martha threw up her hands, kissed Clark on the cheek, climbed into her car, and drove off.

But not before she turned toward the manor, apparently saw Lex looking out the window, and gave him what Lex could only describe as a sympathetic look, if not a pitying one.

Clark was looking triumphant, however.

Lex met him in the foyer.   'What are you doing here?' he demanded.

'I'm here to see you,' said Clark, looking abashed, but brazening it out.

'Clark.'

'Don't you start,' said Clark.  'I just had a fight with my father, and an argument with my mother.'  He stalked into Lex's office, and tossed his backpack down on Lex's desk.

'Make yourself at home,' said Lex.

'Thank you.  I will,' said Clark, and he took off his coat.

Then, he tore off his shirt, and Lex said, 'Oh, no.  I don't have time for this right now.'

'Make time,' Clark ordered.

************

They got themselves into a decent order in time for dinner.  Gina rolled her eyes at Lex behind Clark's back, and shook her head.  Cassandra smiled a Mona Lisa smile, as she took Clark's hand in both her own.

'Sit, child,' she said.  'I hear you gave Dominic a bit of a scare this morning.'

'Did I?' asked Clark.

'No one saw you come in,' she explained.

'No, I wanted to be romantic, so I climbed up on Lex's balcony.'

'Ah!  I see.'

Cassandra gave the order to serve dinner.  Lex was relieved.  Clark looked interested.

'You know,' said Lex.  'Your mother warned me to never invite you to dinner, or you'd eat me out of house and home.'

'No, I won't,' said Clark.  'I can't. You're a billionaire.'

'Not yet,' said Lex.  'My father is a billionaire.  I merely have millions. Hundreds of millions, but still.  Millions.'

'Then I'll just have one piece of pie for dessert,' said Clark.

************

The fire was still burning in Lex's office.  Clark tossed the sheepskin rug down on the floor before it, while Lex locked the door.  Moonlight poured through the stained glass windows and gave the office an aspect of a church or a temple.  A Temple to Love, thought Lex.  May the God and Goddess of Love bless us, their devotees.  Clark turned from building up the fire with fresh wood.  He held out his arms and Lex entered the most secret chamber of the Temple.

'My parents have been freaking out,' said Clark, some time later.  'They say it's only a matter of time before it's obvious I'm not an ordinary mutant.'

'What's an ordinary mutant?' asked Lex.

'Mutants have one power.  Two at the most.  Many of them are strong, but not invulnerable.  I'm nearly invulnerable.  My friend Chloe Sullivan is suspicious already -- oh, and she's been complaining you haven't shown up for therapy sessions.'

'Therapy sessions?  I don't need therapy.  I wasn't informed that was necessary.  I registered the day after I arrived, as required.  I'll have my regular checkups, and that's it.'

'You're stubborn,' Clark observed.

'Not stubborn enough,' said Lex.  'You're still here.'

'Yes, and I'm not going anywhere.  Don't try to get rid of me.'

'I'm not trying to get rid of you.  I'm trying to....'

'Protect me.  I know.  My parents are always trying to protect me.  But I don't need protecting.  I'm strong.  I'm going to protect you.'

Of course, thought Lex.  'Go to sleep,' he said, out loud.

'Don't you want to go upstairs, to bed?' asked Clark.

'Are you uncomfortable here?'

'No.  The rug is fine.'

'Then neither am I uncomfortable,' said Lex, and they fell asleep before the fire.

************

'Lex?  Lex!'

It was his mother's voice, he knew, though he hadn't heard it for some time.  His mother's voice.  His mother's hand, stroking his hair.  Hair? Yes, he still had hair, bright as a flame.  He turned from contemplating Clark's dark beauty, to gazing up into his mother's face.  She was tall, and regal, as she had been when he was a child, before the meteors, before her illness, before all the pain drained her and left her at his father's mercy.  His father, Lex knew, had no mercy.

'Lex, come with me, child.  That's good.  Sit before the fire, and listen.'   Nana was there, lying at the foot of Mother's chair.  She lifted her head and regarded him through calm, implacable eyes.

Mother sat down, and gazed into the fire.   'Tell me all you remember,' she said.  And Lex understood what she meant, what she wanted.  He recited all the memorized details of the coming invasion, and the plot surrounding Veritas.   'That's good, Lex.  You have a good memory.  But someday, I won't be here to test you.  It will all be up to you.'

'No, Mother.  You can't leave,' Lex protested.

'I don't want to leave, but someday I may have no choice.  That's why I've entrusted so much to you.  Now, I'm going to entrust even more.  Listen carefully.  There are two Travellers coming.  One will be an ally.  Do you know what an ally is?'

'Of course,' said Lex.  'Someone who is on our side.'

'Yes.  Very good.  The other is an enemy.  He - or she -- is the one who will spearhead the invasion.  That is the one you must watch out for, and protect yourself against.'

'What about our ally?' asked Lex.  'Who is he?'

'I don't know,' Mother confessed.  'His identity is hidden in the depths.  His name is written in water.  He may seem helpless, like a small child.  That is what my father taught me, so that is all I can teach you.  But I will show you two things.  Tomorrow I will take you to the caves, but for tonight....'

'Lex!  Lex, wake up.'  Clark was shaking him awake.  His eyes glowed in the dark, like two small moons.  'Wake up,' said Clark, again.  'You were talking in your sleep.  Do you do that?'

'I used to walk in my sleep,' said Lex.  'I don't know about the talking.'

'You were saying something about caves,' said Clark.  'I remember you used to talk to me about the caves, when we were boys.  You always promised to take me there, when I was old enough, but then you went away, and forgot about me.  Am I old enough now?'

************

'Come on, come on, put your pants on,' said Lex, tossing Clark his jeans, and pulling on his own slacks.

'Lex,' whined Clark.  'It's the middle of the night.'

'Yes, and you're here by choice.  If you wanted to sleep, you should have stayed home.  Now, tuck that tempting piece of flesh away, and come sit in this chair, beside mine... that's better,'

'Is it?' asked Clark.  'I'm miles away from you.'

'It's a few feet, and quit complaining, or I'll move you further away.  Now, we're going to discuss this calmly, and figure it out before we go any further.'  Lex buttoned his shirt loosely, and bent to add a few logs to the dying fire.  'I need a drink first,' he added.  'What about you?'

'Alcohol does nothing for me,' said Clark.  'But I'll have a glass of wine, just for something to do.  What's this all about, anyway?'

Lex came back to the fireside, with two glasses of wine.  He handed one to Clark, and raised the other in a toast.  Clark smiled, toasted Lex back, and took a sip.  'Not bad,' he said. 'It's a local wine, right?'

'Yes, but your mother and I are working to produce better,' said Lex.  'It will take a few years.  We need to understand each other, in the meantime.'

'What do you and I have to do with wine?' asked Clark.

Lex considered that for a few moments.  'Trust.  Understanding,' he said, at last.  'They're like fine wine.  They take a while to develop, and to learn to appreciate.  But I'm blind here, Clark.  You have memories that I don't share.'

'That's not my fault.'

'No, it's not.  I'm not saying it is.  But I need to understand, so that I can trust you.  You say that we knew each other as boys, but I don't remember.  It didn't bother me before, but now.... When did I talk to you about caves, Clark?  I need to know.  It's important. Trust me when I say it's important.'

Clark smiled.  He sipped his wine.  'I trust you,' he said.  'But I'm not sure you trust me.'

'Help me to trust you,' said Lex.  'All I remember is meeting you in the truck that day.  What happened next?'

Clark thought about that for a long moment, then he said, 'I don't remember exactly, myself, because I was just a little boy -- about five years old, my parents think.  I didn't understand everything that happened.  I met you, and I couldn't forget you.  I wanted to see you again, so badly.  You were my friend, I knew that.  Mother says I kept asking for you, and they told me you were in the hospital.  But I wouldn't stop asking, so one day we went to your house -- here, I mean.  And they told us you'd gone away.  I remember that.  Standing in your doorway, and being told you weren't coming back.  But I knew it wasn't true.  I knew you were waiting for me, so I came back on my own.'

'And I was here?'

'Yes.  I think... yes, you were here, in this room.  I remember the windows.  And the fireplace.  And you said, "You've come to see me.  I was all alone, and I waited for you."  I remember that. You said you were in a big white room, all alone, and you waited for me to visit.  I knew you were waiting.'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'I was alone.  Mother was sick.  My father was planning the move to the States.  I was in the hospital in Victoria.  We never came back here, Clark.  I know that.  Perhaps it was a dream.  Perhaps we were in each other's dreams.'

'It wasn't a dream,' Clark insisted.  'It was real.  I came here every night, for a long time.'

'Here?  In this room?'

'Yes,' said Clark.

'Did you ever see me in another room?'

'No.  Why?'

'Mother used to talk to me, late at night, before the fireplace.  When my father was away, of course.  He used this as his office when he was here, but Mother said it was a room special to her family, the Fergusons.  The windows.  And the fireplace.  They have some special significance, but I can't remember any of that, now.  I was supposed to remember, but so many of my memories were taken from me.'

There was a soft scratch at one of the doors, and a sniffle and a sigh.  'I think that's Joy wanting in,' said Clark.

'I know,' said Lex.  'Poor Joy. She's feeling left out.'  Lex got up from his chair, and opened the door.  Joy had her nose pressed up against the crack at the bottom of the door, and when it opened, she sneezed.  Startled at her own sneeze, she jumped back.  Lex couldn't help laughing a little.  Joy grinned up at him.  'Come on in,' said Lex.  'The fireworks are over, for now.'

'Just for now,' said Clark.  'We're not making a habit of these conversations in the middle of the night.'

Joy bounded over to the fire, and sat at Clark's feet.  Lex stood still, gazing at the picture they made, for a long moment.

'What?' asked Clark.

'Mother used to sit in that chair,' said Lex.  'Nana would sit at her feet, like that.  And we would talk.'

'Talk about what?' asked Clark.

'About the future, and the past,' said Lex.  'About my destiny.'

'You have a destiny?' asked Clark, with a grin.

'Yes, I do.  Do you know what my name means?'

'Lex?  It means.... "law" doesn't it?  In Latin?'

'Yes, but my name is short for Alexander, which means "Defender of Men".  My father named me for Alexander the Great, who decided to conquer men, rather than defend them, but Mother told me my destiny was to be the defender.'

'The defender against who?' asked Clark. 'I mean, whom?'

'Against aliens,' said Lex.

Clark laughed.  'Lex, you're not serious?  Are you?'

'Don't laugh at me, Clark.  I'm quite serious.  And don't tell me there are no aliens, because according to you, I'm speaking to one now.  Speaking to one?  Hell, I just fucked one a few minutes ago.'

Clark put his wine glass down on the floor beside his chair.  His hand was shaking a little.  'Lex?  Is that how you think of me now?  As The Alien?'

'No, I don't.  But you are, by your own confession, an alien.  And I was raised to defend Earth against aliens.  Try to understand the position this puts me in.'

'Why are you telling me this?'

'Because you told me who you were, and I decided to return the favour.  We are, according to our destinies, born to be enemies.'

'No!' said Clark.  'We were born to be friends, to be allies.  Brothers.  Lovers.  Never enemies.'

'I like the sound of that,' said Lex.  'I want to be all those things.  Friends, allies, brothers and lovers.  Especially the last.'

'We used to talk like this when we were boys,' said Clark.

'What?  I talked to you about being lovers?  When you were five?'

'No.'  Clark laughed.  'We talked about being friends and allies, but I always knew it was more, even when I didn't know... I didn't know about the sex part, of course, and we never used the word "lover", but I knew.  You told me that someday, when I was older, you'd take me to the caves.  And I knew that when I was older, something important would happen between us.  That's why....'

'What?' asked Lex.  'That's why, what?'

'The day we met again, down by the river, I was looking for the caves.'

'The caves are in the river?' asked Lex.

'The meteors changed the course of the river,' said Clark.  'They altered the landscape quite a bit.'

'That day at the river,' said Lex.  'You didn't seem to know who I was. When I gave you my name....'

'I didn't recognize you,' said Clark.  'You changed quite a bit, even from the photos I found of you on the internet.  When we were boys, you smiled a lot.  In the photos you were laughing, partying, dancing.  You looked so different that day.  Too serious.'

'A lot has happened the last few years,' said Lex.

'Yes, but now you look more like my Lex,' said Clark.

'So, I'm your project, am I?'

'You're mine,' said Clark.   He got up from his chair, and came over to straddle Lex's lap.  'Mine for all time,'  he said.

************

'Hey!' said Lex, pushing Clark's prone body with his foot.  'It's almost dawn,' he added.  'Time to get up and be on your way home, lazybones.'

'Ugh!' said Clark. 'Lex!  Quit kicking me.  That's not very nice.  I'm your boyfriend.'

'Oh, no. Don't you start with me.  You're not goofing off around here all day, boyfriend or not.  I have work to do, and I believe you still have school. There's a time and a place for everything, and this is my home, not a....'

There was a whoosh, and Clark vanished, along with his discarded clothes.  'Okay,' said Lex.  'Goodbye to you too.'

There was another whoosh, and Clark reappeared -- showered, clothes on, hair reasonably neat.  Yet another whoosh, and the sheepskin rug was draped over one of the chairs, the wine glasses were picked up, and Lex's clothes were tossed into his arms.  'Slowpoke,' said Clark.  Then, he grabbed Lex, kissed him hard, picked up his backpack and vanished out the open garden doors.

Joy ran in from the garden, looking a bit astonished.  'Yes,' said Lex.  'I agree.  At least he's not that quick about everything -- but you wouldn't know about things like that, yet.  You're a bit too young to understand, but let me tell you....'

************

'My son tells me you kicked him out of bed this morning,' said Martha, gravely.

'It was nearly time for him to go to school,' said Lex, without informing her that they hadn't actually been in a bed.

'Good for you,' Martha replied.  'Don't let Clark get out of hand.  He's really good at getting his own way.'

'I know,' said Lex.  'Mrs. Kent... Martha... was Clark an imaginative child?  I mean, we talked about our meetings here at the Manor, when we were boys....'

'And you don't remember.  I know.  You think Clark imagined those meetings?'

'We never came back here, when we left after the meteors.  He can't have met me here. I know that.'

Martha thought about that for a while, as she studied a particularly tangled patch of grape vine.  'Clark never made up other imaginary friends,' she said, at last.  'Which doesn't prove much, I suppose.  Perhaps you were the only one.  But no, he didn't seem overly imaginative to me.  Does it matter so much to you?'

'I don't think Clark is nuts, if that's what you mean.  Nor do I think he was lying about it all. And in now way do I think being imaginative is wrong.  It's... it's complicated.  It bothers me that we seem to have a connection I don't know about.'

'I understand,' said Martha.  'But there are connections between our families,' she went on.  'You did meet Clark the day he arrived.  And your mother was here for a while after the meteors.  While you were in the hospital, and your father was planning the move back to the States, your mother was here.  She wasn't well, but she came to visit.  We had told her that Clark wanted to see Lex so badly, and she came to see us.  We got to talking and we told her about finding Clark wandering in the forest, naked and alone.  We'd made enquiries, of course, and no one had reported a missing child.'  Martha pulled back a thin strand of vine, and snipped it off near the trunk of the plant.  'This plant is strong,' she said.  'There should be good strong shoots in the spring.'

'Yes?' said Lex, vaguely.  'What happened next?'

'What?  With Clark, you mean?  Your mother arranged for us to adopt him.  Some sort of fictional adoption agency, I think.'

Lex dropped his clippers.  'My mother!' he said.

'She told us she didn't like the stories she read about foster parents or orphanages, and that at least she knew us, and believed we'd treat Clark kindly.  Then, a few years later, the first Meteor Mutants appeared. In the beginning, there was a lot of fear.  But then there were civil rights lawyers, and court cases, and the Supreme Court, and the parallels to AIDS were raised as a spectre. Suggestions that Mutants should be quarantined or banished to concentration camps were greeted with outrage and horror by most people, and eventually everyone who was here that day was granted Mutant Status, and immunity from discrimination.'  Martha made another cut, and smiled.  'Your mother had dated the adoption papers a month before Clark even appeared.'

'I see,' said Lex.  'And so Clark thinking we had little fireside chats that I don't remember isn't the strangest thing about all this.'

'No,' said Martha.  'Not the strangest thing.'

************

'Did my mother ever tell you she arranged for the Kents to adopt Clark?'

'I forsee the future,' said Cassandra.  'And my powers can unlock hidden memories of the past.  But your mother rarely shared her secrets with me.  She always said two people may keep a secret -- if one is dead.'

Lex shuddered.  'Yes,' he said.  'She shared her secrets with me, but I don't remember her sharing that one.  I don't remember her ever speaking of Clark Kent.'

'Not by name, at least?' Cassandra suggested.

'She spoke to me of an ally.  Perhaps she meant Clark.  Would she have known he was meant to be an ally?  He was only a child, then.'

'You spoke of him,' said Cassandra.  'When you were in the hospital, you kept asking for your friend.  "The boy in the truck", you said.'

'How did you know?' asked Lex.

'I was in the hospital, too,' Cassandra reminded him.  'I visited you, and you asked me about him.  You said it was a secret, and not to tell anyone else.'

'More secrets,' said Lex.

'But the secrets are coming to light.'

The winter sun was low in the sky, its rays piercing the stained glass windows of Lex's office.  He remembered the long winter nights before the fire, when his mother told him her secrets. So many of them were buried deep in the recesses of his mind.  The chambers were opening, one by one, unlocked by Cassandra, by Clark, by Martha Kent.  But Lex was certain that there were more to come.  To come to light, he thought.  Light....

'This is the furthest the rays of the sun ever reach across the floor,' said Lex.  'In winter, when the sun is low in the sky, the rays reach this far.'

'Do they?' asked Cassandra.  'I no longer see the sun, in winter or in summer.'

'I'm sorry,' said Lex.

'It's not your fault,' said Cassandra.  'And I see the light of another sun, so don't despair.'

'You see a sun?' asked Lex, excitedly.  'You see light?  When?  Do you see light now?'

'I don't see anything at the moment, child,' said Cassandra.  'But at times, especially in my dreams, but sometimes during the day, as well, I see a cold world.  A world of ice.'

'And you see light,' Lex insisted.

 'Yes,' said Cassandra.   'And I see a sun.  I see a smaller sun than I remember ours as being.  A colder sun than ours. I see a red sun.'


************

Lex was supervising the hanging of Christmas lights in the Italian Garden, and thinking about the elements of Darkness and Light.

Darkness was soothing and restful.  It hid much that was revealed to public scorn by too much bright daylight.  But darkness could be depressing and even frightening, and soon the eyes craved the light of morning, and the ability to see into all those dark corners that concealed danger and evil intent.

Light was inspiring and cheerful.  It illuminated the dark corners of the soul, and exposed one's own evil intentions to cleansing fire.  Too much light was harsh and revealing, though, and soon the soul would begin to crave the concealment of night that would permit the growth of all those comforting illusions of one's own perfections that too much light destroyed.

It was a paradox -- or maybe not.  Maybe Life consisted of both Darkness and Light, and could not exist without both.

Most beautiful of all, thought Lex, was Darkness pierced by Light.  As here, in his garden, where thousands of small, white lights now adorned the trees that lined the walkways and the bridges over the stream.  When they were finished here, they would move on to the Japanese Garden, and then....

Lex remembered his mother doing this.  Once.  Father had come home and condemned the display as cheap and common.  The next day, it had all been taken down.  But his mother had packed the lights away safely, and now Lex owned these grounds, and could do with them what he pleased.

'It's beautiful,' said a voice in his ear.  'Like the Van Dusen Gardens.  They do this every year at Christmas.  Have you seen them?'

'Clark, Luthors don't attend such cheap, common public entertainments.'

'Okay,' said Clark.  'I was going to invite you to go with me, this year.  You know, like a date?  But if you don't do that sort of thing....'

'A date?' asked Lex, turning to Clark in unfeigned astonishment.

'I can't afford fancy dinners, and stuff like that,' said Clark.  'But I thought we could drive over to Vancouver -- you have to go to the Mainland on business anyway, right?  And I could take you to the Gardens while we're there.  But if you don't....'

'It's a date,' said Lex.

'I can still get in for eight dollars, cause I'm under eighteen.  You're an adult....'

'Clark, we're all kids at heart.'

'So, it will be eleven dollars for you.  That's nineteen dollars, altogether. I can just afford it, if you pay the ferry over to the mainland and the parking fees at the Gardens.'

'Clark, you have a great future ahead of you in high finance.'

'Are you making fun of me, again?'

'I'd never make fun of you.  And I must admit to being truly honoured that you asked me out on a date.  I can't remember the last time anyone did that.  No, that's a lie, Clark.  No one ever did that.  Are you staying for dinner, by the way?'

'Mom said I couldn't stay unless you asked me,' said Clark.

'Well, I'm asking you,' said Lex.

'Are you asking me to stay the night, too?'

'Now, why would I do that?'

'Ask me to stay, and I'll show you.'

************

An orgasm was like darkness pierced by light, thought Lex, rather incoherently.

Clark had tried out a few things that he'd probably picked up on the internet.  His technique was inexpert and inconsistent, but his heart was in it.  That was something that couldn't be faked, thought Lex.  The technique could be learnt, during long winter nights of practise.

'Did you like that?' asked Clark.

'Mmm, yes.  You're wonderful.  You're fantastic.'

'No, I need more practise, before it's good enough for you.  I should come over every night.  Or move in with you, or something.'

'Oh, no.  You're not moving in here.  You're only seventeen.'

'Almost eighteen,' Clark reminded him.  'Can I move in with you then?  When I'm eighteen?'

'Clark, I....'

'What's wrong?  We get along well, I love you, you have all this room.  Would I really be a nuisance?'

'No.  It's not that.  But people usually get to know each other for a while before they live together.'

'But... but we do know each other.  We were friends....'

'When we were boys, yes.  But Clark,  I don't remember that.  It's hard, when you talk about things that I don't remember.'

'Yes,' said Clark, after a long moment of silence, that hurt like too much darkness with no piercing light.  'Mom told me you were upset about that.  I wish I could give you your memories back.  It's not fair.'

'It's not your fault.'

'No. But I still feel guilty.  I remember things you don't, so I have the advantage.  It's not fair, like I said.  You should remember it better than I do.  You're older.'

'So you keep reminding me,' said Lex.  'Is it a hint, or something?'

'A hint?  No.  I like it. I like older men.  Stop changing the subject.  There must be some way you can remember.  I'm still looking for the caves. We talked about them, when we were boys.  You said the caves were important.  They were a... a portal, you said.  I didn't know what the word meant, so you explained, and I asked you why you didn't just use the word doorway to begin with.'

'You remember all that so clearly,' said Lex.  'Do you remember much before that?  Like, your journey here?  You said you came by spaceship, and it must have been a long trip.  How much do you remember?'

Clark sighed, and leaned back against Lex's chest.  They were lying on the rug, gazing into the heat of the fire.  'Sometimes in my dreams I think I can remember a long journey,' he said.  'I've tried to trace that journey back, back to its beginnings.  I can hear voices, sometimes, in my dreams. Different voices, speaking a strange language.  But I was a baby, when I left my home.  I must have been very small.  It's more like a feeling, than a real memory.  But, I think my world was cold.  Icy cold.  And sometimes I see a strange sun in the sky. But it's all just a dream, and maybe it means nothing.  Maybe everyone has these strange dreams.'

'Maybe,' said Lex.  'I've had some strange dreams, myself.  Especially when I was younger, and did drugs. But, Clark.  Picture this strange sun, for a moment.  Why is it so strange?'

Clark was sleepy now, thought Lex.  His eyelids were heavy, as if the red fire weighed them down.  'I think the sun is smaller,' he said.  'Or it's far away.'

'That's why your world was cold,' said Lex.

'Yes,' said Clark.  'That makes sense.  But, the sun is a different colour... like the fire...it's red... Sorry... I'm falling asleep.'

'Go to sleep,' said Lex.  'Dream of a red sun.  Tell me your dreams in the morning.'

****************

'Lex?  Are you awake?'

'Yes, Mother,' said Lex, sleepily.  His head was in her lap, and he was staring into the heart of the fire.

'Good.  I want to tell you the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu.  Listen.  Gilgamesh was a King, back in ancient times.  But he was proud, and he oppressed the people.  He visited every beautiful bride on her wedding night, though she wasn't his wife.  Do you understand?'

'But... but that's wrong,' said Lex.

'Yes, and so Gilgamesh's mother prayed for a companion for her son, and the gods created Enkidu.  Enkidu was a wild man, strong enough to challenge Gilgamesh to a duel.  When he came to the city, he found Gilgamesh about to enter the house of a bride, and told him to stop. The two men fought, and Gilgamesh won their battle, but he came to love Enkidu, and they became best friends.'

'Should you tell him the end of the story?'

Lex sat up.  A woman was standing in the moonlight that poured in through the garden doors.  She was blonde and dressed in white, and Lex thought she was an angel.

'Lara!' said his mother.  She gently pushed Lex to his feet, and rose gracefully from her chair to greet their visitor.

'The time is near,' said Lara.  'Soon the Traveller will be arriving.  You must be watchful, and careful.  If we want.... but, no.  I shall not speak of our hopes before the boy.  This must happen by itself, and not through our machinations.'

'I understand,' said Lillian.  'Otherwise it will not be genuine.  But how can we ensure that things happen as we wish, if we don't guide events?'

'We must trust,' said Lara.  'Difficult though it may be.  Tell me, my son....' And Lex realized the woman was addressing him.  'Do you want to know what happened to Gilgamesh and Enkidu?'

'I watched the Star Trek episode,' said Lex.  'They killed the Great Bull of Heaven, and Enkidu was cut down by the gods, and he died.  But why?  Do you know why?'

'He overstepped the boundaries,' said Lara.  'Gilgamesh and Enkidu were so strong together that they challenged the status quo.  They were too great. Too powerful.'

'Like Alexander.  He conquered almost all the world, and then he died.'

'Yes.  But it was Enkidu who died, leaving Gilgamesh alone.  And Gilgamesh was immortal, or at least very long lived.  It was Gilgamesh who suffered the most.'

'Because he loved Enkidu.'

'Yes,' said Lara.

Lex could sense the two women sharing a long look over his head. Adults did this sort of thing, and it didn't bother Lex.  'Love makes you suffer,' he said, to himself....

***

'Lex?  Lex?  Wake up!'  Clark was shaking him awake.  The moonlight was streaming across the floor toward the sheepskin that was their bed.  'You were dreaming,' said Clark.

'What about you? asked Lex.  'I told you to dream for me. Where is your dream?'

'It's too cold to dream,' said Clark.  'It's snowing out.  Look!'

The garden doors were wide open, revealing a world of white.  The moon shone down upon a field of white.  Whiteness fell from the sky, and whiteness rose from the ground to meet it. 'It's cold,' said Lex.  'Why did you open the doors and let in the cold?'

'It's not cold,' said Clark from the doorway.  'This is my world.  This is where I was born.  Look out upon my elements -- ice, and snow.'

Lex got to his feet and wrapped the sheepskin around his shoulders.  'You were born in ice and snow,' he said.  'I, however, was not.'

The world had indeed turned to one vast icefield.  This was not Thetis Island.  'Where are we?' asked Lex.

'I told you,' said Clark.  'This is my world.'

Lex looked up, into the heavens, and gazed upon a red sun.  'I feel tired,' he said.  'I feel heavy. I can barely lift my feet.'  He turned to Clark, but Clark had vanished.  So had the fire and the stained-glass windows.  Lex was entombed in white, and his breath froze in the air and fell to the ground in splinters of ice.  He burrowed deeper into the sheepskin, and wished he had his boots.  'Some clothes would be nice, too,' he thought.

'Come out and play,' said a voice from far out in the whiteness.  'Lazybones!  Come out and play.'

'Clark?  Where are you?'

'Out here, in the snow,' said Clark.  But his voice was faint, and far away.  'Come out and join me.'

Lex stepped out into the snow, but his feet froze to the ground, and he stood silent, like a statue, as the snow fell and fell and fell...

***

'Lex!  Lex, wake up,' said Clark, as he shook him awake.

'I am awake,' said Lex.  'I've been awake for some time now.  But I'm frozen to the ground.'

'It's not that cold,' said Clark.  'I'll add more logs to the fire.'  Clark picked up a log, and put it on the dying embers.  'I dreamt, like you said.  I dreamt of snow, and a white world.'

'I know,' said Lex.  'I was there.  I died.  I think I froze to death.  That's why you came here, I think -- to get warm.  Not to take over our world.'

'I don't want to rule the world,' said Clark.  'But I think my father wanted me to.  That's why he sent me here.'

'But your mother didn't like that idea,' said Lex.

'No, she didn't.  How do you know that?'

'She visited my mother, somehow.  They had a plot -- a plot to foil our fathers.  This was all a set-up, our becoming friends.'

'No.  No, it wasn't,' said Clark.  'We are friends.  We've always been friends.  Does it matter what our mothers planned?'

'I don't know,' Lex admitted.  'I want to be your friend.  I want to be more than your friend.  But love leads to suffering, and death, as with Gilgamesh and Enkidu.'

'I never liked that story,' said Clark.

*************

'Why aren't you surprised that your mother visited mine?' asked Lex.

'Are you surprised?' asked Clark.

'No, I suppose not. But... but how could she visit us?  If you came from another planet, alone?  That's what you said, that you travelled here alone, as a baby.'

'I don't think my mother was ever here, physically,' said Clark.  'I've had visions of her, in dreams.  I thinks she visits this planet in visions.  But I don't know for sure.  There are supposed to be answers to my questions in those caves she keeps telling me to find.'

'Yes,' said Lex, vaguely.  'We have to find the caves.'  A faint dawn light was coming through the windows.  'You should leave soon,' he added.

'I'll look for the caves after school,' said Clark.  'I'll ask a friend of mine to help.  I'll tell her it's for a school project.  Local history, or something.'

'Should you lie to your friends like that?'

'No.  So I'll make it true.  I'll write a paper about it.  How the meteors changed the geography of the area.  How's that?'

'Brilliant.  I want to see the paper, when it's finished.'

'Yes, Lex.'  Clark rolled his eyes.  'You know, you're worse than my parents.  Honestly.'

'Behave yourself,' said Lex.  'Like I tried to tell you the other day, this is my home, not a hotel.  And I'm not easy, got that?'

'Yeah, I got that right off.  Five seconds after I met you.  That's what I love about you.  But, Lex? Does it bother you that our mothers knew each other?  That they wanted us to be friends, for some reason? Why does it matter?  Can't you like me anyway?  Do you feel like I've been stalking you, or something?'

'Wait, wait.  One question at a time.  And then you better get home and have breakfast with your parents, okay?'

'Okay,' said Clark.

'Yes, I can like you anyway.  It bothers me that our mothers were up to something unspecified, and I don't know the details. I don't like unspecified.  I like to know the details.  Yes, I think you were stalking me, but I can live with that, as long as you don't turn psycho on me, and attack me in the shower.'

'If I do,' said Clark.  'It will just be for shower sex.  We haven't tried that yet.'

'Another time,' said Lex.  'I have work to do.'

'You work too hard,' said Clark.  He kissed Lex, as always, and then he was gone, leaving scattered papers in his wake.


**********

'The Mounties identified that murder victim,' said Gina.  'Someone called Alicia Baker.  And get this -- she was a former resident of Thetis Island.'

'Indeed?' said Lex.

'Yes, indeed.  And she may well have been a mutant, though the report doesn't state so.'

'I wonder if I was right, then?  That Clark knew her, I mean.'

'You could try asking him,' said Gina.  'Since you seem to be spending time together.  Not that it's any of my business....'

'No, it isn't,' said Lex.  'But I'll wait and see if he mentions knowing her, now that her name has been released.'

'We got those samples you wanted,' Gina went on, quickly.  'A copy of the pathologist's report, too.  Wesley is faxing it to us now.'

'Good,' said Lex.  'I'll have a look at it later.  And we need to speed up the building of the labs.  I don't want the specimens out of my control, so we're not sending them off to Paris, or, God help me, Metropolis.'

'No.  I'll make sure they're stored safely until we get all the equipment ready.  In the meantime, we can study the path reports.'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'But I don't think the pathologist knew what to look for.'

***************

Lex's cell phone rang, just as he was finishing reading the forensic reports.  His phone told him the call was from the local high school.

'Lex?' said Clark.  'It's me, your psycho stalker.  Did you hear the news?  They identified the body.  The body we found that day, I mean. It was a girl who lived around here.  Her name was Alicia -- and Lex, I knew her.  I thought I knew her, that day in the woods, but I wasn't sure, so I didn't say anything to you. But I told the police, of course. Now it turns out I was right.'

'I see,' said Lex.  'I'm sorry, Clark.  About your friend, I mean.'

'She wasn't a friend,' said Clark.  'But that sounds awful, doesn't it?  We knew each other.  We went to the same school.'

'It can be worse, sometimes,' said Lex.  'If you know someone well, you have mutual friends, and they offer their support, and sympathy.  Something like this....'

'Yes,' said Clark.  'Listen, Lex.  There's a meeting, tonight.  At the Rec Centre, near the Marina.  It's for the local mutant population.  Alicia was one of us, and she's been murdered.'

'And what are we going to do, Clark?  Get a posse together, and go look for the killer?'

'No, don't be stupid.  Of course not.  But we should be there.  Even if I'm not really one of them.  Because no one else knows that.'

'Is there so much solidarity among the mutants here?'

'Sometimes,' said Clark.  'If we... if they feel threatened, they can bond, and react.  We've done it before.'

'Do you... do people think Alicia was killed because she was a mutant?' asked Lex.

Clark was silent for a moment.  Lex could hear voices in the background.  Someone calling Clark and telling him to hurry.

'Lex, I gotta go.  Come to the meeting tonight, okay?  Bye.'

'Bye, Clark,' said Lex, to the empty air. 'The Rec Centre.  Down by the Marina. Gotcha. What should I wear?'

************

It was a frosty night.  Lex could smell the snow in the air.  He wondered if they'd get a White Christmas, even here on Thetis Island.  He drove up to the Recreation Centre in his Mercedes, Joy sitting in the seat beside him.  There were few other cars in the parking lot, he noted, as he pulled in to park.  A couple of pickup trucks.  An old VW bus.  Some bicycles.  Lex stopped the SUV, and got out, wearing a fur-trimmed parka over his sleek Armani suit. Joy was wearing her new collar.  They strode up to the door of the Rec Centre like they owned it.

Perhaps he'd buy it, Lex thought, and give it a paint job.

A couple of big bouncer types were standing by the door of the Meeting Room.  'Hey!' said one of them.  'The meeting tonight is Mutants Only.'

Lex lowered the hood of his parka.  'My name is Lex Luthor,' he said.  'This is Joy.  If my dog isn't welcome here, we're both leaving.'

'Lex!' called Clark, from inside the room.  'You're here?'

'Yes, Clark.  I'm here.'  Lex glared at the bouncer types, and one of them opened the door for him.  'Thank you, so much,' said Lex.

The room was crowded.  Most people there were around his own age, or a little younger.  No one was an obvious mutant.  Lex glanced around, saw Clark talking with a group of boys and girls, and started toward him.

Clark looked up, and saw Lex.  His eyes grew dark, and his face flushed a little.  Lex smiled, and Clark looked away, drew a deep breath, looked back at Lex and smiled.  The expression on his face was now one of pride.

'Hey, everyone.  I'd like you to meet my friend, Lex Luthor.  Lex, this is Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan, Pete Ross, and Whitney Fordman.  Lana and Whitney are going steady, and so are Chloe and Pete.  I think.  Am I right, guys?'

'I don't know,' said Chloe, archly.  'Pete hasn't asked me, yet.'

'I'm too scared to,' said Pete.  'So, Mr. Luthor....'

'Call me Lex,' said Lex.

'So, Lex....Why are you really here?  Here in Echo Valley, I mean?  I've heard all kinds of stories.'

'I'm here to grow grapes,' said Lex.  'I'm here to start a vineyard.'

'I think we have a quorum,' said Chloe.  'Let's call this meeting to order.'

'You see?' said Pete.  'How can you ask a girl like that to go steady?  She'd charge you with being out of order.'


************

'Okay, can we get this meeting underway?'

'I don't know,' said Pete.  'When are we going to eat?  I don't see any food.'

'The caterers called and cancelled,' said Chloe, and everyone laughed.

'Why are you running this meeting?'  asked someone at the back of the crowd.

'Because I am,' said Chloe. 'I called the meeting, so I'm running it.'

Lex sidled to the back of the room, and pulled out his cell phone.  'Gina?  Could you have Cook make up a big tray of food, and have it delivered to the Recreation Centre, near the Marina?  Sandwiches.  Cheese and fruit.  Whatever's available.  We have about thirty hungry mutants here, and they're getting testy.  Thanks.'  He rang off on Gina's outraged squawk that she was his business assistant, not Mother Theresa to the mutants.  Well, he payed her more than Mother Theresa ever made, thought Lex.

'Look, guys,' said Chloe.  'I didn't make you come to this meeting.  But I think it's important.  We need to decide how we're going to respond to the murder of Alicia Baker.'

'Are they sure it's murder?' someone asked.

'What else would it be?' Chloe replied.  'Why would a healthy young woman die of natural causes, out in the woods somewhere? Especially Alicia?'

Lex stepped up to the front of the room, now.  'Why especially Alicia?'  he asked.  The group fell silent.

'I think before we go any further, the stranger among us should identify himself,' a young man suggested.

'He's not a stranger, Earl,' said Clark.  'He's a native of Thetis Island, and he's my friend.'

''I've heard he's more than your friend,' said Earl.

'You heard right,' said Clark.  'But it's none of your business.  It's nothing to do with this meeting.'

'I don't know about that.  How do we know he's who he says he is. Maybe he's a spy. I saw him talking on his cell phone a moment ago.'

The room exploded in laughter.  'Oooh.  Suspicious,' said Chloe.  'I'm always on my cell phone.  Maybe I'm a spy.'

'Is there something here worth spying on?' asked Lex.  'Are you planning some sort of takeover of the planet I should know about?'

'Earl doesn't have any plans beyond his next meal, or getting laid,'  Whitney told him.

'Well, I have a lot of plans,' said Lex.  'But they don't include spying on you.  I'm Lex Luthor.  I have better things to do with my time than spy on a bunch of teenagers.  But I'm here because Clark and I found Alicia's body, and she was murdered.  I care about the possibility that someone is murdering mutants.  And yes.  That is a possibility.  I know of at least two other such cases, possibly more.  The other murders happened in the States, though, in two different cities.'

'So maybe the murders weren't connected?' said Clark.

'I think they were connected,' said Lex.  'The victims were all mutants.  And we're very much in the minority.  There were similarities in the way the victims were murdered.'

'How do you know about that?' asked Earl.

'I have the forensic reports, on all the cases,' said Lex.  'And if you want to know how I got them.... I'm rich, I'm well-connected, and I'm not averse to using unscrupulous means to acquire information if I think it's important enough.'

A moment of silence.  Then Pete asked, 'You mean you stole the forensic reports?'

Lex stared off into the middle distance.

Earl said, 'Rich, well-connected and unscrupulous?  Are these your mutant powers?'

'No,' said Lex.

'Well, what are they then?'

'Show me yours,' said Lex.  'And I'll show you mine.'

Earl snorted.  'I'm not showing you anything, Luthor,' he said.  'I don't know you, the way I know these people who grew up around here.  We didn't have rich fathers to take us away to glamorous places.'

'Lucky you,' said Lex.

'Alicia was a transporter,' said Chloe.  'She could transport herself anywhere she wanted to go, in an instant.  Faster than the transport beam on Star Trek.'

'I see,' said Lex.  'If someone attacked her, and threatened her life, she could have transported herself away then, couldn't she?  This makes her murder even more mysterious.'

'Who were the other victims?' asked Clark.  'You didn't tell me anything about this,' he added, in an accusatory tone.

'You didn't tell me you knew Alicia,' Lex countered.

'I wasn't positive,' Clark replied.  'I hadn't seen her for some time, and she was... damaged.'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'Parts of her body and face were dried up, almost mummified, as if she'd been out in the desert for centuries.  I saw that before, on another victim.  That one was left on my doorstep, when I lived in New York.  I moved to Paris soon after.'

'And now you're here,' Earl noted.  'And another mutant is killed.'

'Are you blaming Lex for that?' asked Clark.

'Not blaming him, exactly,' said Earl.  'But it seems suspicious.'

'I'll tell you what I think is suspicious,' said Lex.  'I think it's suspicious that a mutant like Alicia should have been murdered at all.  It seems to me, there is someone out there with the power to overwhelm powerful mutants and kill them, and that means that any one of us could be a victim  But I am not the killer.  And I assure you, I don't possess those sort of powers, and as far as I know, I never met Alicia, never even saw her before that day when we found her body in the woods.'

'So you say,' said Earl.

'Hey!' said Clark.  'Lex is my friend. I invited him here.  He's concerned about this threat to us all.  What is your problem?'

'Can we all calm down?' said Chloe.  'This is getting us nowhere.  Earl, Alicia left Thetis Island months ago.  She was living on Vancouver Island.  Mr. Luthor was still in France, up until a few weeks ago.  That's a matter of public record.  I think what we need to do, is figure out how someone could have killed her, and that might lead us to her killer.'

'Is that our job?' asked Clark.  'Shouldn't we let the police deal with it?'

'But we have powers the police don't,' said Chloe.  'Alicia was one of us, and if she was killed, any one of us could be the next target.  Lex is right.'

'Thank you,' said Lex.  'I'm not suggesting we set up a vigilante group to go running around hunting down criminals.  I am suggesting we protect our own interests.  The police are probably looking on this case as an isolated one.  I gave them information about those other cases I know about, but they didn't seem too interested.  There are no parallels between them, except that all the victims were mutants, and the odd appearance of the bodies.  The other cases were never solved, and I doubt this one will be.'

There was a long moment of silence, then Chloe said, 'I didn't know Alicia well.  I don't think any of us did.  She tended to keep to herself a lot.  But she was one of us, and I say we should look into this.'

'You think we should run around in capes, like comic book Superheroes?' asked Pete.

'It's better than sitting around waiting to be killed,' said Chloe.

There was a knock on the door, and one of the bouncer types stuck his head in to announce, 'There are people here with trays of food. They say Lex Luthor asked them to bring it.  Should we let them in?'

'Now that's a rhetorical question, if I ever heard one,' said Pete.

**************

'That was a great snack, Mr Luthor, Ms Beaumarchais,' said Lana Lang politely, as they left the recreation centre.

'Thanks,' said Gina.  'It was my pleasure.'

Lex doubted that sentiment, but he smiled, and said, 'You're welcome, Lana. But call me Lex, please.'

'Lex,' said Lana.  'I love your puppy.  She's adorable.'

'Why, thank you,' said Lex.  He eyed Whitney with amusement. The young man was looking rather steamed, as his girlfriend smiled up at Lex.

'You're going to be staying here for a while?' asked Chloe Sullivan.  Now Pete Ross looked jealous.

'I'm here for the rest of my life, I hope,' said Lex.  'And so, yes, Ms. Sullivan, I will be in to fill out more forms and have my regular mutant tests.'

'Don't make it sound like such a chore,' said Chloe.  'It's all for the best.'

'Granted,' said Lex.  'Now, to speak of happier matters, we're giving a Christmas party at the mansion this year.  And I have lights strung up throughout the grounds.  You're all invited.  The whole island is invited, actually.'

'That's great!' Lana said, enthusiastically.  'I'm sure everyone will come.'

'I'm not so sure,' said Lex.  'About everyone coming, I mean.  What about the bible college, out at the Point?  I doubt they approve of my lifestyle.'

Lana laughed.  'Maybe not,' she allowed.  'But it is a Christmas party, after all, so maybe they'll make allowances.  And the lights!  I can't wait to see them.'

'Lex and I are going over to the Mainland the first weekend after school lets out,' said Clark.  'I'm taking him to see the lights at the Van Dusen Gardens.'

'Great!' said Lana.  'Whitney and I were planning to go too. Why don't we all go together?  Chloe?  Pete?  Weren't you talking about going?'

'Sure,' said Pete.  'But....'

'Um....' said Clark.

'Sounds like a great idea to me, too,' Lex heard himself say.  But, now that he thought, it was an excellent idea.

'Lex....' Clark hissed.

'No, really,' said Lex.  'It's a good idea.  I've got the SUV, and we can all go together. It's an environmentally sound plan of action.  We'll save gas.  Less pollution.'

'Less privacy,' Clark muttered.


**********
Chapter Five
**********

'Tell me why we're doing this again?'  asked Clark, for the tenth time that morning.

'Clark, Clark.  Don't be such a baby....'

'I'm not!  I just wanted a date....'

'And we'll have our date, and lots of privacy.  We have our whole lives ahead of us, Clark.'

'So why....'

'Because, for one thing, it looks better for us to be going with a group.   If we go alone, it looks like....'

'I don't care what it looks like,' said Clark, with adolescent intolerance.

'Well I do,' Lex shouted, finally losing his temper.  'Because I'm the one who will be pilloried in the gutter press as some sort of child molester, and if you think that's at all romantic....'

'I'm not a child.'

'Legally you're not a child, but compared to me, you're a baby, in the eyes of the world.  You'd be the innocent farmboy, and I'd be the rich old man, luring you into my life of depravity and perversion.'

Clark grinned.  'Is that a promise?'

'Yes.  I have a long list of perversions I want to try out on you someday soon.  But there's more to my life than that, Clark.  You have to understand what I'm trying to do, here.  I have responsibilities.  A multinational corporation to run.  Hundreds of employees. Shareholders. Rivals who would love to see me fail.  That's my life. I'm not a dilettante who just wants to sit around in his castle collecting the dividends on his stocks and spending it on champagne and escargot.  I'm building an empire, and if you can't live with that....'

'No, no, no.  I can live with it, Lex.  I'm sorry, okay.  I'll try to understand.'

'Because if you can't understand, maybe you should be dating a nice boy or girl from your own age bracket.'

'I understand,' Clark declared, desperately now.  'I do.  I promise. I understand.  You're building an empire, not collecting dividends, and drinking champagne, and eating escargot. Whatever that is.'

'Good,' said Lex, taking pity on him at last.  'Now, since we understand each other, let's go pick up the rest of our little party.'

**************

Lex drove the SUV off the ferry at Horseshoe Bay, and started up the long, winding road through West Vancouver. Joy was gazing out the window, curious as always. Her tongue lolled out, and her eyes twinkled.   The young people chattered away about their favourite music groups and the Christmas parties they hoped to go to, and how much they were looking forward to graduating in the spring.  Clark was talking as much as any of the others, which made Lex feel a bit better about  the situation.  In Clark's eyes, he thought, he must appear as a staid old man, too scared to....

Clark put his hand on Lex's thigh, and gave it a squeeze. 'Are we there yet?' he said.

'Almost,' said Lex.  'I think it's just around this bend.'

'What's just around the bend?' asked Whitney.

'The house Lex is renting,' Clark explained.  'We can have lunch there, before we drive over to Vancouver.  Right, Lex?'

'Gina assures me the fridge is well stocked,' said Lex.   'And I think.... yes.  Here we are.'

'Wow!' said Lana.  

'It's got a nice view,' Lex agreed.  'I stipulated that in my orders.'  Actually, the view was more than nice.   Perhaps not quite as beautiful as the view from the manor, but he wouldn't be here very long.  Or very often.  He pulled into the driveway, and parked.  Joy jumped out of the car as soon as he opened the door, and she started exploring.

Lex took a moment to look at his new home.  It was that -- a home, not a castle.  Though he loved the castle, it could never be called homey.  This house was.  It was low, and rambling.  It clung to the hillside as if it had grown out of it, all on its own.

'Wow!' said Clark.

'You approve?' asked Lex.

'Yes.  It belongs here.  You look a bit like you belong here, too.'

'I don't know, Clark.  I leased it for a year, until I build LexCorp Towers.'

'Will that take a year?  Just a year?'

'It was supposed to,' said Lex.  But his plans had a way of growing and growing, once they were given free rein.  Maybe it would take longer to build, now that he thought.   And this place was interesting.  It was a tony address, too.  Very impressive.

But his plans had a way of going awry.  He shouldn't get too attached to any one place or any one thing.  He knew that, and yet here he was.  He had a puppy and a young, puppyish lover who was too romantic and emotional to listen to sense.  He had one home already and a winery in the works.  And now he was thinking of buying another house?  That was foolishness.

The front door opened, and a motherly woman introduced herself as his housekeeper.  They all followed her inside, exclaiming over the beautiful hardwood floors, and rambling houseplan with little nooks and crannies hiding around corners.  Joy ran ahead, barking excitedly.

'Let's explore,' said Clark.

***************

They were eating lunch when Gina texted him on his BlackBerry.   Lex tried to access the message surreptitiously, but Clark caught him at it, and frowned.

'Empire building,' he mouthed at Clark, and when Clark frowned more deeply, he tossed the keys to the SUV at him.  'I have to go,' he said.  'It's only noon, and we're not going to the Gardens until after dark. Hang around here and eat, or go sightseeing until then.  Don't get into any trouble I wouldn't get into.  I have to change.'

'Into what?' muttered Pete Ross, but Lex ignored him.

Clark followed him upstairs.  'You know what my favourite book is?' he said.  'The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.'

'The Roman Empire didn't really fall,' said Lex.  'It just mutated.'

'Into a bunch of mutants?'

'No, into the Middle Ages.'

'A bunch of middle aged people?'

'You give me a headache,' said Lex.

Lex found the master bedroom.  The closet already held several Armani suits, and silk shirts, just as Gina had promised.  Clark glowered at them.  'Somewhere at this moment, someone is making you an Armani suit,' he said.  'I must find this person and stop them.  But... God! You look so sexy in that.'

'Thanks,' said Lex. 'I was trying for corporate and executive, but sexy will do.'

'You're not really going to wear that to a board meeting, are you?'

'It's not a board meeting, but why not?'

'How could anyone think of business, in the same room as you, looking like that?  Stay here with me.'

'We had sex last night,' said Lex.

'Yes,' said Clark.  'Last night.'  As if that were a year ago.

Lex determined he must put an end to this possessiveness -- some day soon.  In the meantime he was going to enjoy it, while Clark was still young and cute.

'Lex?' asked Clark.

'Yes?' he replied.

'What sort of trouble wouldn't you get into, anyway?'

'The kind my lawyers couldn't get me out of,' said Lex, and went to find the car Gina had promised him would be parked in the garage.


*******************

It was strange to be driving into a big city again, after so long on the island.  Vancouver wasn't as big as, say, Paris or Rome or London or New York, but it was a different world from Echo Valley.  He drove over the Lion's Gate Bridge, and through the Stanley Park Causeway, noting the damage from the big winter storms several years back.  He reminded himself to make a donation to the rehabilitation fund soon.  Traffic was heavy, even this time of day, and he thought it might be useful to build a helipad on the roof of the new LexCorp Tower, if the local bylaws would allow it.

He'd left early for his meetings, to give himself time to look around Vancouver for possible building sites.  It was best not to look completely ignorant on any topic in front of one's employees.  And so he drove along Georgia Street, heading east, and then along Hastings Street... and that was sad, he thought.  The Downtown Eastside had always been downtrodden, he knew, but now....

There was something dark here, something evil, thought Lex.  Something that went beyond drugs and prostitution and violence.  Something that didn't belong here, in this outwardly idyllic place.  Even Joy was looking wary and anxious, and she drew away from the car window, and closer to Lex's side.  'Don't worry, girl,' he said.  'We're leaving soon.  But something should be done about this. Why isn't anyone doing anything about this?'

A woman was running from an alley, being chased by a man.  She ran out onto the street, and Lex almost hit her.

'Fuck you!' she screamed at Lex, as if it were his fault.  Their eyes met, and something clicked inside Lex's head.  He reached over and opened the car door.  'Get in,' he said.

'What?' asked the woman.

'Get in,' Lex repeated.  'You're being chased, right? Get in before he grabs you.'

The woman climbed inside the car, and closed the door.  Lex drove off, watching in the rearview mirror, as the pursuer shook his fist after them.  Joy sniffed her over, curiously, and the woman smiled.  She was a dog lover.  Good.

'Who was that chasing you?' asked Lex.  The woman said nothing.

'Your boyfriend?'

The woman snorted.

'Your pimp?'

'What's it to you?' the woman asked.

'You nearly dented my new Ferrari,' said Lex.  'He made threatening gestures after me.  I think I have the right to know his connection to you.  Is he your dealer?'

'He's my pimp,' said the woman.

'Thank you for explaining,' said Lex.

'I charge a hundred dollars,' said the woman.

'I don't think so,' said Lex.

'Seventy-five dollars?'

'I didn't pick you up to have sex with you,' said Lex.  'I just wanted to stop a crime from taking place right before my eyes.'

'Well, some men just like to talk,' she said.  'Or tie me up. Or to....'

'No, thank you very much,' said Lex.

'You can let me out at the next stop light,' she said.

'If you like,' said Lex.  But then something made him continue.  'But I have a proposition for you.'

'You want a blowjob after all?'

'No,' said Lex.  'I need a bodyguard.'

'A what?'

'I need a bodyguard, and you're going to be that bodyguard.'

'You're kidding, right?'

'I never joke about such things,' said Lex.

'You just saw me being chased by a pimp, and you think I'd make a good bodyguard.  Are you crazy?'

'Some people think so, yes.  But I need a bodyguard I can trust. We just met by accident.  You couldn't possibly be a plant.  I'm going to buy you some nice clothes, get you some training in security, and pay you a good salary.  You won't have to worry about pimps chasing you ever again.'

'Okay,' she said, clearly humouring him.

'Now,' said Lex.  'Suppose someone comes to you, and offers you money to betray me. What are you going to do?'

'Tell him to go fuck himself,' she said.

'That's what I want to hear,' said Lex.  'And one more thing.  What's your name?'

'Meredith,' she replied.  'But my friends call me Mercy.'

**************

'Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies for being late.  I was driving through the Downtown East Side, and my Ferrari was assaulted.'  Lex tossed his briefcase into a chair, and stood with his arms akimbo.  'She'll be fine, but what's going on in this city?  I've been reading the papers, but nothing prepared me.'

'You were lucky, Mr. Luthor.  There have been shootings all over the Lower Mainland, not only in the City itself.'

Lex tossed a wary glance at Mercy, but she was standing quite motionless by the door.  They'd stopped at a store to pick up a long black wool trench coat, a scarf and a pair of sunglasses.  She now looked like an international spy.

'I've been away too long,' said Lex.  'We have to do something about this.'

'We?' asked someone, cautiously. 'Is it our problem?'

'This is everyone's problem, I think,' Lex replied.  'But LexCorp has a mandate to help the human race.  It is our reason for existing.  We like to make money, but we give at least as much as we take.'

There was a murmur of applause and approbation.  Lex opened his briefcase, and took out an artist's sketchbook.  'I've been making some sketches,' he said, and passed copies around to everyone.

'These are wonderful, sir,' said Ms Renson.

'Thank you,' said Lex. 'They aren't much, but I'm hoping the architects can use them for inspiration.'

'I love the round windows.'

Round windows?  Had he drawn round windows?  Yes, it appeared he had, in at least one of his sketches.   Interesting.

'Round windows symbolize completeness and eternity,' he told his staff.  'LexCorp isn't yet complete or eternal, and to claim such would be hubris.  But we have aspirations.'

From the doorway came a soft sound -- a snort, perhaps.  Almost, but not quite, it was a snicker.  He tossed a quick glance in Mercy Graves' direction but her face was as still as if carved from granite.  Only her eyes danced for a moment as they met his, and he grinned at her in appreciation.  So, she had a sense of humour.

'What do these sketches represent?' asked Barclay, indicating one of the pages.  It was a drawing Lex had done on the ferry coming over from the island.  A small room.  Arrows pointing outward, expanding the room in all directions, changing its shape.

'Ah,' said Lex.  'It's an idea I have.  Rooms that mutate.  Rooms that change their size and shape.  See?  The walls and ceilings and floors -- they all move.  So,  we can alter the configuration.  Make a room smaller or bigger.  Wider or narrower.'

'Why?' asked Barclay.

'Because we can.  Haven't you ever wished a room could be larger, temporarily?  I have.'

Barclay looked a bit dubious, but Ms Renson was interested.  Christopher Barclay was the practical Executive Officer, capable of carrying out any assignment Lex gave him, but Elizabeth Renson was the one with vision, the one who could almost keep up with Lex's imagination and curiosity.

Lex's BlackBerry buzzed, and he almost answered it, but they were deeply into a discussion about possible building sites, so he let it ring without checking the number.

'How about the Downtown East Side?' Lex suggested, after they had discussed the benefits of operating in South Vancouver, near the hospital.

'For what?' asked Barclay.  'A gravel pit?'

'Now, now.  Don't think like that.  The land would be cheaper than in the city centre.'

'With reason.  And we'd be accused of displacing people from their homes, if we bought up some of those old, rat-infested buildings.'

'Yes, of course. Point taken.  But I drove by a fair number of boarded-up stores and vacant lots.  Would we be displacing anyone there?'

'You'd be surprised,' Barclay replied.

'Look into it,' Lex ordered.  'If the idea isn't feasible, so be it.  But I can see the possibilities, and we could always build some affordable housing ourselves with the money we save on the costs.  Isn't that what everyone says is needed?  Affordable housing?'

Barclay nodded.  'Yes, sir,' he said.  'I'm not trying to be negative, just pointing out the drawbacks.'

'Fair enough,' said Lex.  'I appreciate that.  I expect all possible drawbacks to be pointed out, now and in the future.  But let's not overlook the positive angles as well.  We'll consider building sites here, here and here.' Lex pointed to the sites on his map.  'The Downtown East Side, Vancouver Centre, and South Vancouver, near the hospital.  Let's meet again after Christmas and discuss the pros and cons of each site.  Agreed?  Good.  In the meantime, enjoy your Christmas bonuses, which have been forwarded to your accounts.  I'm very pleased with the work you've done this year, and look forward to working with you next year.'

Lex took a moment to enjoy the looks of relief on everyone's faces as they showered him with good wishes and Merry Christmases.  As his staff left the conference room, he pulled his BlackBerry out of his pocket and checked the text message left on it.  Then he was running down the hall, Mercy and Joy following.  'Where's Ms. Robinson?' he asked his secretary.  'Has she already left for the day?'

'I think she just left,' she replied..

'Page her, would you?  Tell her to join me at the Police Department, the one on Cambie Street, immediately.  I need a lawyer.'

'Are you being arrested, sir?' his secretary gasped.

'No, of course not,' said Lex.  'But some friends of mine are.  Come on, Mercy.  We're going to visit the Cop Shop.'

'I don't know if that's a good idea,' Mercy protested, but she followed him out to his Ferrari, Joy trotting at her heels.

'Are you worried about being recognized?  You're with me, now.  Any crimes you may have committed will magically disappear, if you play your cards right.  And wrapping your scarf around your head will help, too.'

They climbed into the Ferrari and screeched out of the parking lot.

'I haven't committed any crimes lately,' Mercy avowed. 'Other than the usual -- soliciting in public. And the cops don't harass us for that, unless someone complains.  I'm pretty discreet, so I've never been arrested in Vancouver.  I just don't like the cops.'

'Who does?' Lex commented.  'But it's good there are no outstanding warrants on you.  It saves time.'  He barrelled through a stop light just before it turned red.

'Why'd your friends get arrested?' asked Mercy.  'Speeding?'

'I'm as clueless as you are,' said Lex.  'That's what we're going to find out.'

He slowed down just before turning onto Cambie Street.  No sense in getting a ticket on his way to bailing Clark out of jail.  Sheila Robinson was waiting for him, out the front of Police Headquarters.

'What's up?' she asked.

'Some friends of mine were hauled in for questioning about something,' said Lex.  'They were driving one of my cars, because I loaned it to them.  Take care of this, whatever they're guilty of, whatever it takes.'

Sheila grinned and raised an eyebrow.  'Bribery?'  she said.

'Whatever it takes,' said Lex.  'Bribery usually works.  Cops are cops, after all.'

Lex snapped Joy's lead on, and started for the front door.

'You going to take the dog in there?' asked Sheila.

'I'm not leaving her in the car,' said Lex.  'She might get stolen.'  He handed the lead to Mercy.  'Wait here by the door,' he said.  He stared at her hard.  'I'll only be a few minutes,' he went on in a softer, lower voice.  'Be here when I come out.'

Mercy nodded.  Joy whined softly at Lex, but settled happily by Mercy's feet.  

Lex swept in the front door of the police station,  Sheila Robinson beside him.   This building was a fortress, not like the small RCMP detachment on Vancouver Island, but Lex Luthor wasn't easily overawed, or intimidated.

'I'm Lex Luthor, and I'm here to rescue some friends of mine,' he told the officer at the front desk.  'This is one of my lawyers.  Could we speak with my friends, please?'

'Have a seat,' said the officer, waving to a row of chairs by the door. He looked back down at his magazine, dismissing them from his mind.

'Excuse me,' said Sheila, in her most polite, implacable, professional voice.  'Have Mr. Luthor's friends been charged with any crime, or are they merely being questioned? In either event, are they being questioned without a lawyer present?   Mr. Luthor has asked me to represent them, and I would like to speak to my clients.'

Lex smiled and left Sheila to it.  A few minutes later Lex was being escorted into the office of  Inspector Warren, while Sheila went to find Clark and the others.

'Mr. Luthor, it's a pleasure to meet you,' said the inspector, as he shook Lex's hand.  'Your fame precedes you.'

My wealth precedes me even more, thought Lex, but he smiled and nodded and professed himself pleased to meet the inspector as well.  'I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding,' he avowed.  'And no harm has been done.'  He took the seat offered him by the inspector, and waited for an explanation.

'That's my impression,' said Inspector Warren.  'According to the police report, which I have right here, our members on patrol noticed a Mercedes, with vanity license plates, being driven by a group of young people.  You have to understand, Mr. Luthor, there's been a lot of dangerous gang activity in this area recently, and the situation has been worsening with each passing day.  Drive-by shootings in broad daylight at shopping malls.  Members of these drug gangs drive expensive SUVs, and it was that which caught the attention of the patrol officers.'

'I had a business meeting, and drove my Ferrari.  I loaned the Mercedes to my friends, who do not constitute a gang. Are they free to leave now that this has been explained?'

'Your friends are in their teens,' said Inspector Warren.  He looked Lex up and down, thoughtfully.  Lex could almost read those thoughts: I'm a pervert, and probably sleeping with the lot of them.

'Mr. Kent is the son of my vintner, Martha Kent,' Lex told the inspector. ' The other young people are school friends of his. They accompanied me here to the Mainland with the full knowledge and approval of their parents.' Lex stood up, drawing himself to his full height and then some.  'We would like to leave now.'

***********

Sheila Robinson was waiting for him in the hall, with Clark and his friends behind her.  Clark grinned and started toward Lex, but he turned away quickly and said, 'Let's get out of here.  Joy is waiting.'

'Lex?'

'Not here, Clark.  Not now.'

'Lex, I'm sorry.  We didn't do anything.  We were just driving.'

'They weren't even driving over the speed limit, Mr. Luthor,' Sheila added.

'I know, and I'm not angry, but this isn't the time or the place.  We'll talk later, okay?'  Lex pushed the door open, and stood for a moment in utter devastation.  Joy -- and Mercy -- were nowhere to be seen. He had trusted the wrong person, again, he thought. Why did he never learn?  Then, he took a deep breath and looked again, and there they were, a few yards away, under a tree.

Mercy looked up and waved.  Joy finished what she was doing, and bounded toward him dragging Mercy along in her wake.

'She had to go,' Mercy explained.

'She does that a lot,' said Lex. Joy was greeting him in her usual way, as if he'd been gone for hours.  He took his car keys out of his pocket, and handed them to the blonde woman.  'Here,' he said.  'You're driving me home.  I'll give you directions.'

'Lex!'

'Not now, Clark.  I told you.  Thanks for your help, Sheila.'

'You're welcome, sir.  Any time.'  Sheila headed for her own car.

'Lex, I thought we were going to the Gardens to see the lights,' Clark insisted.  'That's why we came here in the first place.  What happened to change your mind?  I'm sorry about the cops picking us up, but it wasn't our fault, and it's over now.  We came here to see the lights, Lex.  Come on.'

Lex felt the first stirrings of a cold, implacable Luthor rage wash over him.  He turned back to Clark, and watched as the boy winced and almost stepped back -- almost, but not quite.  Clark didn't back down, as most people would have.

'It's why we came Lex,' he said again, more softly this time.  'You promised you'd go with me.  Our date, remember?'

Lex closed his eyes for a moment, and faced the rage down.  He thought about all those times he'd wanted his father to do fun things with him, and got dragged to business meetings instead.  Clark didn't deserve this, he thought.  Joy pressed up against his leg, and whined.  Joy didn't deserve this either.

'Okay,' he said.  'We'll go to the Gardens.  Your treat.  You promised that, remember?'

'Sure,' Clark grinned.

'You drive the others there.  Mercy drives me.  No arguments, Clark, I'm warning you.  I need to cool down.  We'll meet you there.'

Clark pouted.  "The others" looked at him as if he had two heads, both of them a monstrous, bulbous green, but Lex turned away and started for his car.

'Who's Mercy?' Clark called after him, but he pretended not to hear.

'I hope you know how to drive stick,' he said, as Mercy got behind the wheel.  'And I hope you know how to keep quiet.  And yes, I am used to giving orders and being obeyed, usually without question, but I pay well enough that I get few complaints.'  Lex closed his eyes and concentrated on conquering that Luthor rage, as Mercy pulled out of the parking spot quite competently and silently.

Lex Luthor's personal demons all bore one face and spoke with one voice.  Even though he had broken away from his father, and established himself as an independent entity, still the ties remained, try though he might to cut them.  He had tried everything he could think of to exorcise his demons -- up to and including actual exorcism -- and still Lionel rose up to confront him at every opportunity.  When Inspector Warren had questioned his relationship with Clark and his friends, Lionel had been there.  He was like a ghost, haunting Lex even from thousands of miles away, and yet this ghost was still very much alive, and very dangerous, and very capable of harming him in this world, and by more than poltergeist tactics.

Now Lionel sat behind him in the Ferrari, leaning over the back of the seat, and hissing in his ear.  'You think you can beat me?  I have resources you can only dream of, son.  While you've been off here in your pathetic little third-world country playing your pathetic little games, I've been building a real empire in the most powerful nation on earth.  You claim to your easily impressed friends that you're "empire building", but you know that's a joke.  Your little company is nothing.  Nothing, do you hear?  And your friends?  They're nothing, too.  Yes, they have mutant powers, of a sort.  But I've found a mutant with powers that could help me to rule the world -- or destroy it. Try to trump that.  And your alien boyfriend?  You think he's the Traveller?  You think you could find the source of ultimate power before me?   Think again.'

Lex must have made a soft sound of despair, because he saw Mercy glance at him quickly. Joy pressed closer to him, and rumbled deep in her throat.  At the same moment, his BlackBerry buzzed.  Clark had sent him a text message:  RU?  Lex stared at it for a moment, wondering when and how the glorious language of Shakespeare and Milton had descended to this.  RU?   Oh.  Fine. Where was he? Good question.

Mercy made a quick turn, and announced, 'We're on Oak Street.  I took the long way round.'

'The scenic route?' Lex managed to ask.  His voice sounded almost normal, in his own ears at least.

'If you like,' said Mercy.  'I thought you needed time to think.'

'I did,' said Lex.  He had needed time to think.  Merely, he didn't like the thoughts that then occurred to him.

They pulled into the parking lot of the Van Dusen Gardens.  Clark was waiting for them, looking impatient.   'What took you so long?' he demanded.

'I took a wrong turn,' said Mercy.  'Sorry.'

Clark said nothing, but he stared at her, hard, as if he were about to ask who the hell she was.

'Come on,' said Lex.  'Let's get our tickets, shall we?'

'Well try not to sound overexcited,' said Clark.  'It's not like this is our first date or anything.'

Lex turned to him, drew him slightly away from the others, and ran his hand down Clark's arm, tenderly.  'I know it's our first date,' he said.  'I haven't forgotten that.'

'Don't let what happened today spoil it,' said Clark.  'Everything's fine now, isn't it?'

'Yes, I know,' said Lex.  'That was the Darkness invading, and threatening our love, but now the Light awaits.'

They turned back to the others, who were looking mystified, but Clark was grinning irrepressibly.   'Lex is a bit weird,' he told the others.  'But then, so are we, right?'

'We all have our issues,' Chloe agreed.

Lex stole another glance at Mercy, out of the corner of his eye.  Her face was blank, expressionless, completely neutral.  She was glancing about the grounds of the gardens, but without making a show of it.  'You're coming in with us, right?' he asked her, while Clark was getting their tickets.

'Of course,' she agreed.  'I have money for my own admission.'

'Good,' said Lex.  No point in pissing Clark off more than he already had, by making it look like Mercy was his date.  'You're doing very well as my bodyguard so far.'

'I don't know what the hell I'm doing,' said Mercy.

'Well, it doesn't show,' Lex told her.  'For now, all I want is for you to look competent and dangerous.  Act the part.  Then I'll make sure you get the training you need.'

Clark came back with the tickets, looking a bit irritated again.  Lex handed Joy's leash to Mercy, and took Clark's arm.  'Okay,' he said.  'Now we're on our date.  Amaze me.'

************

The Festival of Light was pretty amazing, Lex had to admit.  Enough light even to scare away his inner demons.   Spires of light.  Bridges of light.  Gingerbread Men of light.   Clark took his hand as they walked amidst the lights, gazing in wonder and pointing out each new aspect.  Joy and Mercy followed close on their heels.  The two other couples -- Chloe and Pete, Lana and Whitney -- wondered off, hand in hand as well.

After a minute or two, Clark leaned in close and whispered in his ear.  'Do they have to follow us everywhere?  I mean, I love Joy, too, but....'

'I couldn't leave them out in the car, Clark.  And besides, Mercy is my bodyguard.  She's only doing her job.'

'Hey, Boss?' said Mercy, behind them.  'I'm going to sit over there, okay?'  She pointed to a bench by a bridge over a little stream.  Lex nodded, and Mercy walked Joy over to the bench and sat down.  Joy lay quietly at her feet, but kept her eyes on Lex.


Clark looked relieved.  'On our own at last,' he murmured, as he drew Lex into the shadows.

'I'm sorry about the....' Lex began, but Clark stopped him with a kiss, and then another kiss.

'It doesn't matter,' said Clark, between kisses.  'All that matters is that you're here, now.'

'You're right,' Lex agreed, though his Devil's Advocate kept up his dissenting voice.

'You think this is all that matters?' hissed Lionel, from behind a tree.  'You think a few kisses in the moonlight will make up for it all when your faces are on the cover of The Inquirer, and your stock prices plummet?'

Lex drew Clark closer, and kissed him harder, as if that were an answer.  'Mmmm,' he murmured in Clark's ear.  'We're in public, even if it is dark in this corner.  There are lots of people around. Families, too.'

'I know,' said Clark.  He took a step back, just keeping a hand on Lex's shoulder.  Lex looked around the park, checking to see who was near.  People seemed intent on watching the light displays, so no one had noticed their embrace.

A group of children were running about noisily, their parents lagging behind.  A little girl ran past Lex and Clark, screaming.  Something about her scream betokened fear, rather than pleasure, and Lex frowned.  Another child seemed to be chasing her.  Her brother, maybe?  Lex looked around to see if their parents were paying attention, but like most adults when it came to bullying, their attention was elsewhere.

'What's the matter, Lex?' asked Clark.

'I don't know,' Lex admitted.  'It's probably nothing, but....'

At that moment, the boy shoved the little girl, and she fell over the bank, into the stream.  Lex started toward them, but then there was a streak of black, and Joy, still trailing her leash, jumped into the stream after her.  A moment later, the puppy had dragged the girl out of the water, and up the river bank.  People were cheering and applauding, and a few were laughing, as they gathered around the scene.

'A miniature rescue dog,' someone chuckled.

'That's my dog,' said Lex, pushing forward.  'Good girl,' he added, bending to pat Joy's head.

'I'm sorry, Mister Luthor,' said Mercy.  'I was holding her leash, but she jumped up so fast.'

Something in her face reminded Lex of himself, so many times, being blamed by this person or that person, for something he couldn't have helped.  He smiled at her, and patted her shoulder, a bit like he'd patted Joy's head.  'I know,' he said.  'She's very strong, and very determined, and just a born hero, so you did nothing wrong.  Hang in there, okay?'

The children's parents ran up, several minutes too late.  There was a barrage of questions and accusations, none of which Lex paid the least attention to, because the little girl was lying on the ground, unmoving.

Clark fell to his knees beside the little girl, and began to give her mouth-to-mouth.  After a moment, he looked up and said -- whispered, rather --  'Lex?  Can you do the compressions?  She's so small, I'm scared I'll....'

'Is anyone calling 911?' Lex shouted.

Mercy answered.  'I already did, Boss,' she said.  'There's an ambulance on the way.'

The child's mother was screaming something about her sweet baby, and trying to get between Lex and the girl, but several by-standers held her back.  Lex paid little attention, as he pressed on the tiny chest, several times.

'Okay,' said Clark.  'My turn. Where's Chloe?  We're gonna need her.'  Then he was breathing into the girl's mouth again.

Lex looked around.  No sign of the others.  'Chloe?' he called, not knowing quite why they needed her, but trusting Clark's judgement.

'Your turn,' Clark ordered.  'Chloe!  I need you here.'

Lex did his compressions.  He felt no response in the girl and Clark's eyes were dark with despair.  The by-standers were still holding the mother back, and she was still weeping. Off in the distance he could hear the sound of an ambulance, and the more tinny siren of a first aid waggon.  Joy put her head back and howled.

'Chloe!' shouted Clark, one more time, just before he bent to breathe air into the unresponsive lungs.  The crowd parted, and a first aid crew came running in.  'I don't think they'll be much help,' Clark murmured.  'Where the hell is Chloe?'

As if in answer, Lex heard the sound of running feet, and Whitney came storming up, pushing the crowd aside with his broad shoulders. Chloe was right behind him.  'What's wrong?' she gasped, as she reached Clark's side.

'She's not breathing,' said Clark.

The mother screamed again, and tried to push them all away.  'You're killing my little girl,' she cried.

'Madam,' said Lex.  'We are doing nothing of the sort. We're trying to save her life.'

'The ambulance is coming,' said one of the members of the first aid crew.  'Wait for them.'

'That might be too late,' said Lex.

Clark and Chloe were staring into each other's eyes.  'She's not breathing,' said Clark, again.

Chloe nodded, and knelt beside the little girl.  She put her hands over the small body, and closed her eyes.  A moment later, the child gasped, and coughed up water.  Her eyes opened and she tried to sit up.

Chloe, on the other hand, fell over to the side, unconscious.

***********

'She'll be fine,' Pete kept saying.  'Just give her a few minutes to recover.'

'What happened to her?' one of the First Aid attendants asked.  He was quite young, about the same age as Clark and his friends.  Lex noticed his name tag: Davis.

'She... she can heal people,' Pete told Davis.  'But it takes a lot out of her.  She can't go around trying to heal everyone.  It would kill her.  So, keep this quiet, okay?  Just let her rest.  Okay?'

'Okay,' said Davis.

The ambulance pulled up, at last.  Thank God they hadn't had to depend on them getting there on time, thought Lex.  The mother was still crying over her sweet baby, though a bit more attention to the girl's bratty brother might have prevented the whole thing.  That was unfair though, Lex told himself.  Bullies were ubiquitous, and no one could stop them all.  Lex noticed the boy sitting on the bank of the stream, staring sullenly into the water.  Lex went to sit beside him.

'What did you think would happen when you pushed her in?' he asked the kid.  'Did you think she'd just disappear and there would be no consequences?'

'She's stupid,' said the boy.  'She's a girl and she's stupid.'

Ah.  A typical heterosexual male at the Homosocial Barbarian stage of psychological development.

'If your sister had died, you'd be in big trouble right now.  So, how intelligent does that make you?'

'They wouldn't send me to jail,' said the kid.  And he was right.  He'd get therapy, and a lot of admiration from his peers, and that would be that.  'And she's stupid,' he added.

'You said that already,' Lex pointed out.  'She's still your sister.  You're lucky to have a sister, and you should take better care of her.'

The kid looked at him like he was the stupid one now.  'She's stupid,' he said again.  'She's like a mutant, or something.'

'A mutant?' asked Lex.

'Yeah.  A mutant. She's stupid like a mutant.'

Lex reminded himself that he was dealing with a child. A child he felt the urge to drown in the stream, but still.... a child.  'What makes you think mutants are stupid?' he asked.

'Everyone knows it,' said the kid.  He jumped up, suddenly, and scuttled back, away from Lex.  'You're a mutant!' he said.  'You're one of them.'

'Well, yes,' Lex drawled.  'Everyone knows it.'

They had the attention of most of the crowd by now, as the Life and Death Drama seemed to be over.  'You're mutants?' asked the girl's mother.  Now she was upset about that.  'You're mutants and you were touching my baby?'

Lex had just about had enough of this.  'I think it's time we were going, don't you?' he said to Clark.  'If Chloe's able to get on her feet, I mean?'

'Mutants were touching my baby!' cried the mother.  Most of the crowd seemed amused by her antics, but a few people were looking at Lex and his friends with suspicion.

But now Lana stepped forward.  Her face glowed with a supernatural light.  Whitney stood at her right side, and Pete stepped up to her left.  'We're all mutants,' she said.  'We all have powers, but we use them for good -- most of the time.  Why don't you all move on. There's nothing more to see here.'

'She's right,' someone muttered.

'I wanted to see those lights over the bridge,' said someone else.  And soon, most of the crowd had dispersed.

Chloe coughed and sat up, much as the little girl had done.  'What happened?' she asked.  'Did I fall asleep?'


**********
Chapter Six
**********
'I'm sorry our date turned out so... unromantic,' Clark kept saying.

'It doesn't matter,' Lex told him.  He gazed out at the deep, gray ocean.  'I'm not romantic.'

Clark stared at him in disbelief for a moment, then smirked ruefully.  'I guess not,' he said.  'You keep trying to get rid of me, or let other people come between us.  I don't think you love me at all, but that's okay, because I have enough love for both of us.'

Lex counted the waves, ten of them, slowly.  'I do love you, Clark,' he said at last.  'It's just that... whatever happened... whatever you think happened when we were boys, it doesn't mean you own me.  It doesn't mean we're like conjoined twins, unable to survive apart.'

'I guess not,' Clark said, again.  'But I do think you're trying to get rid of me.  It's like you don't trust me, or you think I'm going to betray you.  I will never betray you.

'I trust you,' said Lex.  'As much as I trust anyone.'

'You seem to trust total strangers more.  Like this Mercy person. Who the hell is she, anyway?'

'Someone I met, and hired, and that's all you need to know.'

'No, it isn't all I need to know,' Clark huffed.  'You put her in the room next to ours.'

'Just for the night.  We'll be home tomorrow, and the mansion is big enough for all of us.'

'But who is she?' Clark demanded.

'I'm a whore,' said a voice behind them.  Mercy had come out to join them on the deck.  'Mr. Luthor picked me up on Hastings Street, and offered me a job.'

'A... a whore?'

'A prostitute.  A street walker.  A hooker.  A...'

'A lady of the evening?' Lex offered.

'Hardly that,' said Mercy.  'I'm no lady, and I'm available any time of the day or night.'

Lex took a look at Clark's face, and had to laugh.

Said Clark,  'What is so funny, Lex?  You picked her up off the street?  You hired her as your bodyguard?  You trust her that much?'

'Yes, yes, and yes,' Lex replied.

'I don't understand you.  I don't understand you at all.'

'I know. That's fairly obvious.'  Lex took a step back, separating himself physically from Clark.  It had always been best not to get too close, he thought.

'I have to think about this,' said Clark, in tones of despair.  'We'll talk later, okay?'

'Sure,' said Lex.

Clark went inside, and Lex turned to stare out at the ocean again.  It was snowing now, and the water was rough and icy grey

'I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor,' said Mercy.  'I thought I should be honest, and not hide who I was.'

'Honesty is the best policy,' said Lex.

'Maybe,' said Mercy.  'Maybe not.  But that boy loves you.  He's just confused right now.'

'He doesn't understand me.  What more is there to say?'

'The thing is, Mr. Luthor, I don't understand either.  I don't know why you hired me.  It makes no sense, and I wouldn't be surprised, or angry, if you changed your mind.'

'I won't change my mind,' Lex told her.  'I saw something in your face, in your eyes, that called to me, like to like.  We're alike, somewhere deep inside, you and I.  I went with my instincts, because I have to do that, even if my instincts are wrong.  Clark should understand that.  He follows his instincts, too.'

Mercy was silent for a long moment, leaning on the deck railing beside him, then she asked, 'What is it you want me to be, exactly?'

'I'm going to arrange training for you, don't worry.  How to fight, how to shoot, things like that.'

'Martial arts?', asked Mercy, sounding more than a bit dubious.  'I've never taken any sort of kung fu training before.'

'Good.  You won't have to unlearn any bad habits.  I'm going to teach you to shoot, myself.  In the meantime, just keep an eye on people around me.  You've lived on the street.  You're a survivor.  You must have good instincts about other people.  Use them.  If anything seems suspicious to you, pass it on to me.  Only to me, got that?'

'Yes, sir,' said Mercy.

Lex smiled.  'Good,' he said. 'You answer to me from now on, and only me.  No one else.  If anyone else tries to give you orders, ignore them.  Your loyalty must be to me alone.  In exchange....'  Lex looked her up and down.  'In exchange, you will want for nothing.  No one will touch you, unless you want them to.  I will never touch you, not like that, under any circumstances.  That's not what I want from you.'

'Good,' said Mercy.  'That's fine with me.'

'Then, we're on the same page,' said Lex.  He watched the endless waves crash against the shore for a long moment.  The boulders seemed impervious, he thought, but that was an illusion. Eventually, even the hardest rock wore down, defeated by water, that looked so harmless.

'Sir?' said a voice from the doorway.  'Mr. Luthor?'

'Yes, Mrs. Hudson?'

'There is someone watching the house, I believe.'

'Watching the house?' asked Lex.  'How could anyone... Never mind.  If there's a will, there's a way.  What tipped you off?'

'From my window, I can see cars coming down the road.  And I can tell if they go on past the house.  The road is quite rough, just around that bend, and I can hear the tires on the gravel.  A car came down the road about ten minutes ago, and it hasn't turned around the bend, or gone back up the road.  I gave it a few minutes to be sure.'

'Very observant of you,' said Lex.  He could feel Mercy tense up beside him.  She followed him into the house, as he went to find Clark.  Clark, it seemed, was nowhere to be found.

'He went for a walk, he told us,' said Lana.

A walk, on a night like this?  Clark was impervious to weather, as Lex had noted.  But what a time to choose.  Joy was sticking close to Lex's heels now, too.  Could she hear something outside the humans couldn't hear, or was she just reacting to their alertness?  If only she could speak.

Joy tilted her head, ran to the window, snuffled and barked softly. That answered that, thought Lex.  'Hello?' he called.  'Who is out there?  This is private property, and I am in possession of a legally owned firearm, which I am prepared to use.'  Lex drew his small pistol from his leg holster, and released the safety.

The door blew open.   Something huge and dark stood in the doorway.  Lex fired a shot, but without any discernible effect.  Joy rushed at the creature, with her usual senseless courage, but was brushed aside like leaves on the wind. The creature was heading right for him, and Lex fired again.  Mercy stepped into the creature's path, and was knocked aside in her turn. Lex saw a huge dark hand reach for him, and fired one last time, and then he was swallowed in the darkness and knew no more.

************

Cold dark wind, knifing past his ears.  Galaxies of icy stars, whirling  above his head. Nauseating sense of free fall.  Shelter of trees and rocks. Suffocating darkness and silence.  Merciful lack of consciousness.

Lex opened his eyes cautiously.  Nothing had moved, or made a sound, for some time now, and the peace was welcome.  He didn't want to attract the attention of a source of noise or motion, but he was wondering where this currently motionless, silent place was, exactly.

He cracked open his eyes and looked down, by his motionless left hand.  There was just enough light to allow him to count his fingers.  All five were still attached.  That was good, as far as it went.  Beneath those fingers was dark gray sand.  Sand.  He was not at the beach, that was certain, for there were no sounds of waves, or seagulls screeching overhead.  A cave of some sort? He sniffed at the sand, and it smelt of dark, hidden places, deep underground.

He stirred slightly, making a soft scraping sound against the cave sand, and waited for a response. None was forthcoming.  He moved again, and yet again, gradually sitting up.  The universe reeled around him, and righted itself slowly.  He felt along the floor, hoping for a wall of some sort, against which he could orient himself.  Nothing. Apparently this was a wall-free world, and one designed for disorientation.

He breathed slowly, and thought for a moment. Then he felt in his pocket for his BlackBerry. Was it still there?  Yes!  His hand closed around the cool, black, plastic device.  He felt for the On button, and pressed it. The screen lit up.  It was, he now saw, about two hours after the attack at the house.  Had he been unconscious for that long?  But no.  He'd been swimming in and out of consciousness, he now remembered.  He tried to make a call, but the device informed him he was out of range of any cell.  He'd already figured that, but still it was a disappointment.  The GPS wouldn't work either, but....

Lex smiled to himself, for his situation was not entirely hopeless.  Even LexCorp technology couldn't design a cell phone enough to let him call home from a cave, but the GPS on this device was special.  It sent data about his location to a receiver only Gina had access to.  Every five minutes his location was updated.  If he went missing, Gina could access this data and track his movements.  She wouldn't be able to find his present position, but she could track him up until his GPS signal disappeared.  It would give her some idea of where to look for him.

Lex got to his knees and held the BlackBerry, tilting it this way and that, until he located a cave wall, then he crawled toward it.  He leaned against the cold stone, and shut the device down to save the battery.   He put the cellphone back in his pocket with great care.  The world still tilted crazily when he moved too quickly.  He would find his way out of this cave and escape, but, in the meantime, he needed to recover his equilibrium.  That was the best plan, wasn't it?  Or was the best plan to try to escape now, before his captor returned?  It was a difficult question, he thought, and one he must give some thought to, when he had the time. Right now, his eyes were so heavy he couldn't keep them open.

************

He didn't intend to fall asleep, but he must have done so at some point, for, when he returned to awareness, he was sprawled uncomfortably upon the damp sand, as if he'd been searching for something.  Food, perhaps?  Warmth?  Light?  He sat up and reached for his BlackBerry again.  He'd been asleep for about three hours, this time, for it was now 2 AM.   Was anyone looking for him?  Did anyone really know he was missing yet?

He tried to remember the train of events when he was... captured.  Something huge and dark had blown down the door.  Joy and Mercy had tried to protect him, to no avail.  Were either of them still alive, or were they both dead?  If only his BlackBerry could tell him the outcome of that contest, instead of the scores of last night's hockey game, that had been downloaded before his internment in this living tomb.  When he returned to civilization, the first thing he would do, would be to commission a task force to improve the reception of cell phones in a truly radical way.  Cellphones must be able to send and receive from any location a human might inhabit, he thought, even were it at the centre of the earth, or he'd know the reason why.

He shut the device down, again, to preserve his only link to... to anything outside of darkness, cold and hunger.  He wanted light, warmth and food, in that order... but he was being a baby, he thought.  He'd lived through worse, and surely his friends were looking for him.  Someone would know he was missing, and Gina would access her records, and they'd track him down.   It wouldn't be long....

It could take days.  He would be without food and water and light for days.  He couldn't just sit here, and wait to be rescued or to die.  He had to find a way out.  There had to be a way out.  It there was a way in, there was a way out.  An entrance way could become an exit way.  How to find that entrance/exit?

The air would be cooler, he thought. Fresher. Did the air around him feel cooler in any direction?  Maybe, to his left.  Maybe there was a slight draft.  Maybe it was just his imagination. But it was something, something to go on.  Head toward the draft, and hope it led somewhere, and that the somewhere was a better place, and not his own real grave.

Lex got to his knees, and began to crawl along the wall, toward his left, carefully feeling along the floor in front of him, just to be sure he wasn't about to fall down a shaft.

*******

It was several hours later, according to his BlackBerry.  He'd been crawling almost the whole time.  Had he crawled forward, or only gone around in circles?  Lex had no way to tell, one way or the other, but he told himself firmly that he'd make progress.  The air here felt fresher and cooler. Soon he would find his entrance or exit, and the way to the outside world.  Someone would be looking for him. Someone would find him, once he was up, out of this early grave.  Someone....

Lex imagined strong, warm arms around him.  A loving voice in his ear, saying, 'Thank God you're safe.'  But he mustn't count on that.  He must count on himself.  He must save himself.

Lex crawled on a few more yards.  Just a little further, he told himself, and then he'd take a short rest, to ready himself for the final leg of this journey.  The final mad dash to the finish line.  He felt ahead of himself in the darkness, every few feet, reaching out across the sandy floor to be sure it was still there, that it wasn't about to disappear under him.  He crawled forward another pace, and then another.  He reached out, and reached out, and then his hands touched stone, right ahead.  A wall.  A fucking wall.

He'd been crawling toward a wall.

He turned on his BlackBerry, tilted it in toward the sudden barrier.  And there it was, and it seemed to go on and on.  It couldn't be there, he thought.  It must not be there.  All that work. All that wasted time.

'No!'  he screamed, and beat his hands against the unfeeling stone.  'No!  Fuck you.  No!'

He pounded his fists against the stone again and again.  And then, suddenly, the stone was glowing, red hot and bright, and the cold, dark cave was gone, and Lex was surrounded by light, lifted up by light, and carried by the light, to some unknown destination.

********

Lex was determined to remain conscious and alert through this second kidnapping.  He dug his nails into the palms of his hands and kept his eyes wide open, though the bright light hurt them.  He strained his ears listening for the least sound.... and there was a sound, an ambient sound.  It couldn't be described in words, but Lex tried, because he needed to define things, especially threats.  A hum?  No, a hum was more musical and flowing than this sound, which was mechanical and regular.  But the term 'hum' would have to do for now, until he could afford to take the time to analyze it more carefully.  He could feel this humming in his bones.  Yes, actually feel the hum as it travelled up from his feet, through his body, toward his head, and that was alarming.  A scan, then?  Yes, some kind of scan.

'Who are you?' Lex asked.  He tried to make his voice sound demanding. He was helpless, unable to move, and barely able to speak, but he'd be damned if he'd admit it and act defeated.  'Who are you?' he demanded again.  The scan ignored him, and moved upward, inexorably, toward his skull.

His entire body was tingling now, and Lex wondered what the scan was doing to him, other than, perhaps, checking out his biological identity.

The scan reached the top of his head, paused for a moment while Lex's body continued to tingle, and then stopped.  The tingling eased off.  'Well,' said Lex.  'Now that you know who and what I am, who and what are you?'

A long moment of silence, then a sound.  A true sound this time.  A series of clicks and buzzes, a pause, and then more clicks and buzzes.  It sounded like a code.

'Click, click, buzz,' said Lex.  'Click, buzz buzz, click.'

Silence.

'Buzz, click click.'

More silence.   Then, 'You.  Human,' said a voice from the surrounding air.  It spoke slowly, haltingly, as if it had not been used for a very long time, but at least they were finally getting somewhere, thought Lex.

'Yes.  I am human, from Earth.  We are on Earth, at this moment, as a matter of fact.'  At least Lex hoped he was still on Earth.  No, he refused to consider the possibility they were anywhere else.

'Earth,' said the Voice.  'We have reached Earth.'  Another long pause, then more buzzes and clicks.  Lex held his peace, letting the Voice work out its own problems in its own language.  'If we are on Earth,' said the Voice, at last.  'Where is Kal-El?'


Kal-El? Clark? Did the Voice mean Clark. Where was Clark?  Good question, thought Lex.  'Kal-El is nearby,' he said, in his most reassuring voice.  'I spoke with him not long ago. But... but someone, or something, kidnapped me and brought me here, against my will.  A friend of yours, perhaps?'

'Friend? Friend of mine?'  Another of those long, considering pauses.  'No.  Not a friend of mine.  Not looking for you, looking for Kal-El.  You.... You are human.'  More clicks and buzzes, but softer now and faster, as if the processing of data were going at a faster rate.  'You are not Kal-El, but you contain Kal-El's DNA.'  The Voice was still halting and uncertain, but it managed to sound accusing nevertheless.

Kal-El's DNA?  Oh.  Wonderful.  How to explain that to a disembodied Voice.  But he must explain this somehow, lest the Voice suspect he'd killed Clark and eaten him.

'Clark... I mean, Kal-El, and I are good friends,' he said.  'Good friends touch each other, on occasion.  Some of Kal-El's DNA rubbed off on me, as I'm sure mine did on him.'

A pause.  Then, 'No,' said the Voice.  ''The DNA we have scanned is not simply rubbed off onto your surface. Some of it is inside your body.  That DNA is composed of Kal-El's seed, as if he mated with you.  Are you female?'

What should I say, thought Lex.  Lie?  I don't know what or who this Voice represents.

'No,' said the Voice, again.  'You are not female, according to the scan.  Why was Kal-El mating with you?'

'Because we're good friends, as I said,' Lex explained.  'Here on Earth, sometimes good friends... mate with each other, for pleasure, rather than reproduction. Humans don't only mate to reproduce.  There are other reasons for having sex.'

'Kal-El should be reproducing,' the Voice announced.  'It is his purpose.'

'Why? What is he?' asked Lex.  'Some sort of stallion, at stud?  He's been busy, getting an education and running a farm.  I'm sure he'll get around to....'

'Silence!' said the Voice.  'Kal-El has mated with you, but you are not female.  You are not reproducing.  To reproduce is essential to Kal-El's purpose.  I will fix that.'

The humming sound began again.  It moved up from Lex's toes, to his legs, and his hips and his groin, and his abdomen.... and then no further.  'What are you doing?' asked Lex.

'It is Kal-El's purpose,' said the Voice.  'He must reproduce.  I am here to see that he fulfils his purpose.'

Lex felt a sharp, burning pain in his abdomen.  'What are you doing?' he gasped, again.  He would have fallen, he thought, if the Light had not been holding him in its grasp.  He would have fallen into Darkness... but then the pain was everywhere, and he was falling and falling, and then he heard a cry, a gasping, astonished cry, like one might hear at a death, or a birth, and then he knew no more.



************
Chapter Seven
************

'Mrs. Kent?  Mrs. Kent!'

Lex swam back into semi-consciousness, up from the deep, dark waters in which he'd been submerged for what seemed far too long.

'Mrs. Kent.  Your family is here to see you.  Can you open your eyes?'

Someone kept talking to someone else called Mrs. Kent.  Mrs. Kent? Who... Oh.  Martha Kent.  Why was she here, too?

'Mrs. Kent.  Try to open your eyes.  See?  Your family is here.  Your father.  Your husband.  Your mother-in-law and father-in-law.  Your brother, too.'

Why did that voice keep talking about Mrs. Kent?  This was so strange.  It went on and on about her family.  Why should Lex care....

'Sweetheart?  Can you hear me?'

That was even stranger, because the voice was familiar.  So familiar.  It sounded like...

'It's Clark, Sweetheart.  Can you hear me, Alexa?'

Alexa?  What the Hell? Clark calling some woman Sweetheart? Lex would put a stop to that.  He opened his eyes, and there was Clark, sitting beside him.

'You're awake!' beamed Clark.

'Clark?' Lex managed to croak.  'You're here.  You came to save me.'

Clark's big smile faded a little, but he recovered quickly.  'Yes, of course I'm here.  We're all here. See?  My mom and dad.  Your dad and brother.'

'Brother?'

'Your brother Lucas, of course.  We've all been so concerned about you.'

'That's good,' said Lex.  'I'm glad you've all been so concerned.  Now, get me out of here.  Let's go home.'

'Not so fast,' said a man wearing a white coat and stethoscope.  Lex assumed he was a doctor.  'You've been very ill, Mrs. Kent,' the doctor went on.

'Mrs. Kent?' asked Lex, in bewilderment.  'Why do you keep calling me that?'

'Alexa, please....' That was Clark, again.

'And why do you keep calling me Alexa? My name is Lex.'

'Okay,' said Clark.  'You're Lex.'

'And my last name is Luthor.'

'Not for a couple of years, now,' said Clark.

'And why would anyone call me Mrs. Anything?' Lex went on.  'I'm a man.'

Clark laughed.  'Oh, Sweetheart,' he said.  'You just gave birth to our baby a few weeks ago, and you've been ill ever since.  I guess we can't blame you for wanting to be a man right now.  But wait till you see our baby. Then you'll be glad you're a woman and a mother, and my wife.'

'Baby?' asked Lex, cautiously.  This was an insane world he'd fallen into, and it was best to be very careful indeed with the inhabitants.  Especially that brother named Lucas who had hooked up with their father.  And what was Lionel Luthor doing here?  He should be down in the States plotting to become President and rule the world.

'Our son,' Clark explained.  'Connor.  He's beautiful.  He has your eyes, and my hair.  Just what you were hoping for.'

'Well, of course,' Lex obliged.  'I'd hardly want him to be bald like me.'

Clark laughed again.  'Bald? You, bald?  With your beautiful long red hair?  Hardly.'   He picked up a strand of hair lying on Lex's chest, and....

Lex's chest.  Lex looked down at his own chest, at his large, full breasts, and shrieked.

***************

'Oh, Mrs. Kent.  You're so beautiful,' Nurse Amber cooed.  'Now that you've stopped denying your femininity, and put on that gorgeous peignoir set.  You've got a wonderful, handsome husband, and a beautiful new baby.  What more could you want?'

'This isn't my life,' Lex muttered to himself.  Herself?  Whatever.

'Well, if you don't want your life, I'll have it. So would most other girls.  You're rich, and you'll never want for anything.  You can stay home with your baby, and not worry about going out to work to pay the bills.  That's what I want to do when I get married and start having a family.  Stay home and take care of my own children.'

What century is this crazy universe set in, Lex wondered.

'It's like Dr. Rowsell said.  Stop fighting your womanhood.  Stop denying your place in the universe.  This is your destiny.  Once you admit your subordinate role....'

Okay.  This must be the Nineteenth Century, or the early Twentieth.

'Childbirth is painful,' chirped the childless nurse, chirpily.  'But it's a woman's lot in life. It's what we're made for.'

It was all coming back to him now. The agony, like he was being split in half, while this huge basketball emerged from between his legs.  Nothing on earth would persuade him to go through that again.  If men were the ones who gave birth, the human race would have died out long ago.

'Now, when your husband shows up to take you home, just be happy and accept that this is your life, and there's nothing you can do to change it.'

'Isn't there?' Lex sighed.  He stared at himself in the mirror.  Pale skin -- that was nothing new.  Long auburn hair, falling in waves.  It suited him better as a woman than it would have as a man, that was certain.  Curving, very female body.  That was the showstopper.  He would have admired a woman with this body, even if he couldn't really desire her.  There was certainly nothing whatever wrong with this body.  But it didn't suit his soul.  The centre of gravity was all wrong.  How had he become trapped within it?

There must be a way back, thought Lex. If only he could make Clark listen to him and understand.  But ever since Lex had woken in this body, Clark had only half listened, turning aside his concerns with a pat on the hand -- or the head -- and a fond smile.  Or a smirk over his head, directed at Jonathan Kent, or even worse, at Lionel or Lucas.  He must get Clark alone and explain the situation.

There was a tap at the door.  Clark entered the room, pushing a wheelchair.  'You have to ride in this, out to the car,' he explained.  'But let's go. I can't wait to get you home.'

Lex obligingly sat in the chair, and the nurse put the baby in his arms.  Connor, thought Lex.  Connor Kent.  He was a beautiful baby.  And Lex did love Clark.  Perhaps this really was his life.

***********

This was not his life.  This was a nightmare.

If he and Clark weren't fighting about money, they were fighting about sex. Clark resented the fact that most of their money was Lex's.  And Lex resented the fact that Clark got most of the pleasure during sex.

'You're frigid, that's the problem,' Clark informed him.  'You're still fighting your femininity.'

Frigid?  Oh, yes, that ancient concept Lex had read about in some old psychology text he'd found lying around on the floor of the library basement at Metropolis University one useless day.  Frigid.

'I am not frigid,' he old Clark.  'I'm perfectly capable of having orgasms, given the proper stimulation.'

'Proper?  What you want is obscene.'

'It is not obscene.  People have been engaging in oral sex since the beginning of time.'

'I am not doing... that.  I'm not your... your gigolo, or whatever.  I'm your husband, you're my wife....'

'And we're having sex in the missionary position, or not at all, is that it?'

'Yes!' said Clark, with a big grin.  'It's what God intended.  Like he intended marriage to be between a man and a woman, and for women to stay in their place and be good wives and mothers, instead of destroying civilization by stepping outside their proper roles. Why do you keep arguing with me about this?  Why do you keep trying to build up this stupid company you've created?'

'LexCorp isn't stupid.  We're going to help humanity and solve world hunger, and....'

'You're trying to take over my role, and your father's role.  You're trying to compete with us.  It's not enough that you have more money than I do, you have to  compete with me in the bedroom, too. That's why you can't come.  If you'd just....'

'Let go of me!'

'Stop fighting me, Alexa.  I'm your husband.'

'My name isn't Alexa.  I'm Lex.  And you aren't my Clark.  You just look like him.'

'Don't start that crazy talk again, do you hear me. Stop it, right now.  You're deluded. Your father is not evil.  There is no plot.   There's no such thing as Veritas.  And you were never a man, and I'm not queer.  Now, get in that bed and behave.'

'Keep your hands off me.  Keep them off. Clark!'

No, this was not his life. This was not his Clark.  This was a nightmare.

**********

'Mrs. Kent, calm down.  You have not been raped.' The white coated doctor was adamant.

'What do you mean, I haven't been raped.  Look at the bruises. The tearing....'

'Mr. Kent is your husband.  You have a duty to submit to him, as his wife.  If he used a bit of force....'

'A bit!  He tore me up inside.'

'That's too bad, but you learned your lesson, and you'll behave in the future, won't you?  I'll talk to him about being more gentle with you next time.'

'Next time?  There won't be a next time.'

'That's for him to say.'

'What century is this again?  What is wrong with you people?   You're all insane.'

'There's nothing wrong with us, Mrs. Kent.  You are the one with the problem.  I'll finish sewing you up and go have that talk with your husband.'

'My lord and master, you mean?'

The doctor smiled.  'Yes,' he said.  'Now you're learning.  Just hold that thought, and things will be better.'

This was not his life, thought Lex. This was someone else's sadistic fantasy.

**************

'Just get some rest, Mrs. Kent,' said Nurse Amber,  patting Lex's hand.  'You'll be fine in a couple of days, and you can go home and be a good wife.'

'I'm not going home,' Lex told her.  'I'm divorcing Clark.  I've had enough.'

'Enough?  Enough what?  Has he been unfaithful to you?'

'Not that I'm aware of, though I don't care,' said Lex.  'But he raped me.'

'It wasn't rape.  You have to realize that.  A woman's body belongs to her husband.  It says so in the bible.  The only grounds for divorce is adultery, in this world.'

'Doesn't it also say the man's body belongs to his wife?'  This world was seriously screwed, but then Lex had already figured that out.

'Well... yes. I guess it does,' Nurse Amber allowed.

'I asked Clark to perform certain acts for me, to give me pleasure, and he refused.'

'What... what acts,' asked Nurse Amber.  She looked a bit pale.

'Cunnilingus.'

'Cunni... What!  You asked him to do something so dirty.  No real man would.. . would...'

'Suck a woman's clitoris?  But he'd rape his own wife?'

'It wasn't....'

'Shut the fuck up.  It was rape.  I told him to stop. Wife or not, he should have fucking stopped.'

'Mrs. Kent. Such language.'

*************

'Mrs. Kent.  Your husband is here to see you.'

'I don't want to see him.  I'm divorcing him for cruelty.'

'Alexa.  Please stop this nonsense,' Clark commanded.

'No,' said Lex.  'It's not nonsense.  And my name isn't Alexa.  And you raped me.'

Clark shut the door in Nurse Amber's face, and came over to grab Lex by the arms, and shake her.  'Why do you keep insisting on your own view of things?  Why don't you just give in and let people help you?  I didn't rape you, I was trying to help you.  You're deluded.'

'Shut the fuck up,' Lex snarled.  'They got to you, didn't they?  Veritas?  Your father?  My father?  It's all about the plot to breed Kryptonians to take over the planet.'

Clark laughed.  'Listen to yourself,' he said.  'You've really gone insane.'

'No, no.  I know about the plot.  I've always known.  It's my life work to fight it.'

'You're crazy,' said Clark, going to the door, and waving a hand to someone waiting in the hall.

'What are you doing?' asked Lex, but then orderlies were coming in, carrying a white strait jacket.  The doctor followed them, with a big needle in his hand.

'Clark!  Clark, what are you doing?'

'I'm sorry, Alexa, but they were right.  You're insane, and you need help.'  Clark looked sad, his eyes dark and full of tears, and he sighed.  But he nodded to the doctor.  'Go ahead,' he said.  'I'm sorry, Alexa, but I can't think what else to do.  Stop fighting us.  It will be easier that way.'

'You promised,' screamed Lex.  'You promised you'd never betray me. Traitor!  I'll never stop fighting you.  Never.  Doctor. Doctor.  You're on the wrong side.  He's a alien, and he's trying to use me to breed an army to take over Earth.  I swear.  I have evidence.  Just look in my....'

The cold needle bit into his arm, and as he started to slip under the effect of the drug, Lex heard a voice.  Three words:

'This isn't working.'

No kidding, thought Lex, and then he knew no more.

**************

He had lived through this before, Lex told himself.  He had lived through this before, and he'd survived.  He would live through this, and survive.

He spent days sitting in a corner, tied in a strait jacket. Drooling.  Part of him was conscious and aware of how he looked and behaved, but that part of him had no control over the rest of him.  People came to stare at him, to force food down him and pills into him.  They prodded him and poked him and dressed him and undressed him. They took him to the bathroom and put him on the toilet and wiped his ass, and brushed his teeth and bathed him and put him into bed and tied him to the bed and all the time, Lex knew what was happening and could do nothing.

He'd lived through this before, and he'd survived.  He'd live through it again, and he'd survive.

Clark came to see him, during one of his more lucid times, and for a moment, he had hope.  But Clark smiled sadly, and said, 'How are you feeling, Alexa?'

'How do you think I'm feeling?' Lex replied, carefully.  'I feel like shit. Get me out of here, Clark, please.'

'I'm sorry,' said Clark.  'We're trying to help you.  It hurts, I'm sure.  But it's a good hurt.  Lionel told us you were born evil, and I guess it hurts when evil is torn from your soul.'

'What?  I was born what?'

'He said you were born evil, and he's always known that.  He hoped that I could save you, change you, make you a better person, because I'm so good and noble, but it didn't work.  Harsher methods are needed.  I keep telling you, this is for your own good.'  Clark said all this with a sad, noble, long-suffering expression on his face.

'Lionel?  You listen to Lionel?  After all I told you about him?'

'Lionel has helped my family a lot.  Why do you think he hates you, Alexa?  It's because you were born evil.  He explained it all.'

The door opened, and Lionel came in.  'How are you doing, son?' he asked, and he was looking at Clark.  He put his hand on Clark's shoulder.  Then he looked at Lex, sitting there, tied in his strait jacket.  'She's pathetic, isn't she?  We're doing the best we can, Clark.  The one good thing that came from your marriage, is that I got the son I always wanted.'

'What about Lucas?' asked Lex.  Lionel ignored him.

The door opened again, and Martha and Jonathan Kent came in. 'How are you doing, Clark?' asked Martha.  Jonathan put his arm around Clark's shoulders, and hugged him.

'I'll be okay, Mom, Dad,' said Clark, sadly.  'This is hard, but I don't know what else to do.'

'You could take me out of here,' Lex suggested.  Everyone ignored him.

'It's all for the best,' said Martha. 'Poor baby, come away from here.' She drew Clark over to the side of the room, and Clark leaned against the wall, looking sad and forlorn.

'You know,' said Jonathan, to Lex.  'I never liked you.  You're older than Clark, and I'm sure you influenced him to marry you.  And then you weren't even a good wife.  Running your own company, instead of staying home and taking care of poor Clark and that neglected baby.'

'Connor?' Lex choked out.  'I love Connor.  He's not neglected.'

'He hasn't seen his own mother in weeks,' Jonathan pointed out.

'That's not my fault.  As you can see, I'm all tied up.'

'If you'd been a good wife, you wouldn't be in here,' said Lionel.  'But I'm fixing that.  LexCorp has been absorbed by Luthor Corp.  And I will scrape every tinge of rebellion from you, if it's the last thing I do.'

'It may be the last thing you do,' said Lex.  'If I ever get free.'

'Did you hear that?' asked Lionel.  'Did you hear her threaten me, her own father?'

Martha clucked her tongue.  'It's disgusting,' she said.   'You come home with us after this, and have a good home cooked dinner.'

'Will you make pie, Mom?' asked Clark.  His eyes were damp, but now they were shining.  His lips trembled, but he managed a brave smile.

'Why don't you all stay here for dinner?' suggested Lex.  'It's Sunday. We're having chicken broth, and peas.'

'I hate peas,' said Clark.  'I'd rather go home.'

'So would I,' said Lex.

'You can come home when they've finished fixing you,' said Clark, with a kind smile.

'Listen to him,' said Lionel.  'A man can be judged by the way he treats his enemies.'

'Yes,' said Jonathan.  'That's my son.  He's going to be a light for the world.'

Clark raised his head, and looked noble and brave.

'We should go now, dear,' said Martha.  'Before... you know.  You don't want to watch that.'

'Watch what?' asked Lex, but everyone ignored him, since they were too busy comforting Clark.  'Watch what?' Lex asked again.  'Clark?  If you ever loved me, stop listening to everyone else, and listen to me.  I'm not insane.  Take me out of here, and we'll talk about our marriage and see what can be done.'

'I can't do that, Alexa.  It's too late.  I'm sorry.'

'It's all for the best, dear,' said Martha again, patting Clark's shoulder comfortingly.  'Come away.'

They all left, except for Lionel.  Then some orderlies wheeled in a big machine, with a strange assortment of electrodes.

'What's that?' asked Lex.

'We're going to wipe all those false memories from your mind,' said Lionel.  'When we're done, you'll know who you really are.  I'm your father, and I love you., and I'm doing this to help you.'

'No!' screamed Lex.  He fought and fought, but they were all too strong for him. He screamed for Clark, but Clark had gone home to his family and apple pie.  The first raw bolt of electricity hit his head, and Lex jerked and screamed and cried and wet his pants, and Lionel stood beside him stroking his hair and smiling sadly.

************

One hour became another, one day mated with the next.  Long, white, featureless days of sitting in a white chair in a white room, voices around him -- white noise.

**************

'Well, Mrs. Kent,' said the white-coated doctor, one day, at last.  'I think you're well enough to go home now.  You haven't argued with anyone for a week.'

Lex looked up.  The doctor carried a white clipboard with a pad of white paper.  He had a white pen.

'We think you're ready for human society, don't you?' the doctor went on.

'Are you human?' asked Lex.

The doctor made a note on his pad, leaving a trail of black marks on the white paper.  'Of course I'm human,' he said.  'Why would you doubt that?'

'And yet I do,' said Lex.

'I think you need another treatment.'

'Tell me something first?  Do you have a life, outside of wiping my mind?  Do you go home to your family after work?'

'Of course I do,' said the doctor.  'Why would you doubt that?'

'Do you have children?  What are their names?  Do they argue with you when it's time to go to bed?  Do you wipe their minds after, so they'll be more obedient?'

'Yes...no...it's none of your business.  I'll call the orderlies if you don't behave.'

'If I don't just stay a zombie, you mean.'

The doctor went to the door, and spoke to someone in the hall.  The orderlies started wheeling their torture machine into the room.  Then Clark appeared, looking angrier than Lex had ever seen him.  His face was dark and terrifying and his eyes bloodred with hatred.  He grabbed Lex by the throat and shoved him up against the wall.

'Why don't you behave?' Clark snarled into Lex's face.  'Why don't you ever learn?  I've told you over and over....'

The door to the room burst open, and someone new ran inside.  Lex was feeling dizzy and couldn't see properly, but the voice sounded familiar. It sounded like Clark's voice.

'Lex? What... what are you doing?'

What am I doing?  I'm getting choked to death here, thought Lex.

But the other Clark spun his attacker around and shoved him away.  'What are you doing?' he demanded again.  'Who?  Who are you?'

'Clark,' said Lex.  'He's Clark.  He's you.'

'No.  Not me.  Never me,' said Clark.  He looked at the fake Clark with disgust, then turned to Lex.  'Why are you here?  What are they doing to you?'

'It's a long story,' said Lex.

'She's crazy,' said the fake Clark.  'We had to put her away.'

'She? Her?'

'She's my wife,' said the fake Clark.  'Alexa Kent. I'm Clark Kent.  And who are you again?'

'I'm Clark Kent,' said Clark.  'The real Clark Kent. You are an imaginary construction.  Go away.'

'Not really,' said the fake Clark.  He ducked his head and ran at Clark. They smashed furniture and broke down walls for a few minutes, before realizing they were evenly matched.

'You are interrupting a medical procedure,' said the doctor.  'Please stop, or I will have security escort you out.'

'What procedure is that?' asked Clark.  The two Clarks, the real one and the fake, were circling each other now, warily.

'Mrs. Kent is mentally ill, just as her husband here informed you.  You interrupted her treatment.  How did you get in here, anyway?'

'A friend of mine let me in,' said Clark.  'You know him, Lex.  He brought you here, but he didn't intend you to be a prisoner.  How did that happen?'

'That monster was a friend of yours?' Lex asked.

'He isn't a monster,' Clark insisted.  'He didn't want to hurt you.'

'What did he want, then?'

'He wanted you to open the door, and you did,' said Clark.  'You found the ship.'

'The ship?  What ship?  I'm in this hell because of a ship?'

'The ship was damaged,' said Clark.  'Damaged and confused.  It was trying to fix things.  It didn't do a very good job.'

Clark and Clark were still circling each other.  The fake Clark shouted, 'Stop talking.  You're as crazy as she is,' and charged at Clark. They hit each other, knocking over more furniture, breaking down more walls.  But still they were evenly matched.

The doctor took this opportunity to intervene.  'Grab her,' he told the orderlies.  They were big and muscular and though Lex fought back, he was overpowered.  They had him tied to the table and the electrodes attached to his head before Clark noticed.   The doctor held Lex by the throat, choking him as the fake Clark had done earlier.  'Stop fighting, and leave,' he told Clark.  'Or we'll fry her brain permanently.'

'I'm not going to abandon my friend to be tortured by you,' said Clark.

'It's for the best,' said the fake Clark.

'How can you do this to someone you love?'

'It was Lionel's idea,' said the fake Clark.  'But he's helped me and my family a lot.  Alexa doesn't approve.  She keeps fighting her father, interfering in my business.  She just won't shut up and do what she's told.'

Lex got one of his arms free, and smashed it down, into the doctor's groin.  The doctor howled and let go of his throat.  Lex rolled off the table, and onto the floor.  The electrodes tore at his scalp, blood poured down his face.... and there was a great, roaring darkness.  Walls tumbled around him, like in the middle of an earthquake.

'What's going on?' the white-coated doctor screamed, and then he was swallowed by the darkness, and said no more.

Lex stood in the midst of the rubble, watching Clark and the fake Clark face off.

'You are an intruder, here,' said the fake Clark. 'You're not for real.'

'I don't have a word for you,' said the real Clark.  'Lionel helped you and your family, so it's okay to mind wipe Lex?  Alexa?  Whoever.  It's not okay to stand by and watch.  You know Lex isn't insane.'

'She's deluded.  She thinks she's a man.'

'Even if she were deluded,' said Clark.  'Even then, it wouldn't be right to do this to her against her will.  That's against all  medical ethics, and you allowed it.  I would never allow such a thing to happen to a friend of  mine, let alone a lover.  You're the one who's not for real.'

The fake Clark hurled himself at Clark again, and Lex thought the battle was going to begin once more, but then the world around them tore like wet paper, into thousands of pieces of colourful confetti, and they stood in the middle of an empty cave.  This cave wasn't dark, however.  It shone with an other-wordly light.  Around them was the wreckage of a small space ship.

'I've been trying to find this for years now,' said Clark.

'This?' asked Lex, in a voice he didn't recognize as his own.

'The space ship I came to Earth in,'  Clark explained.  'It got buried in the caves during the earthquake when I arrived.  I got out safely, but the ship sank into this cave.   Mom and Dad didn't know, and I was too little to know or care.  It has information about my Kryptonian heritage, but it's damaged.'

'How did I find it?' asked Lex, though he didn't really care right now.

'Davis,' said Clark.  He pointed over Lex's shoulder.  There the man stood, the First Aid attendant from the Van Dusen Gardens.  'He remembered you, from the day we arrived. He was with the ship, too, and he says he knows you. Do you remember him?'

'Not really,' said Lex.  He felt dizzy.  Too much alien strangeness to figure out.

'I'm sorry,' said Clark.  'We should get out of here, and I'll explain back at the house.  Let's go.'

Yes, it would be nice to get out of here, thought Lex.  But then he heard an eerie sound.  'Wait!' said Lex.  'Do you hear that?  It's a baby crying.'

'A baby?' asked Clark.  'No.  I hear nothing.... Yes, wait.  That is a baby.  What's a baby doing down here?'

'We have to find him,' said Lex.  'Before it's too late. Before he dies, like the first time.'

'The first time?' asked Clark.  But he was scanning the cave, and the ship.  'Father!' he said, imperiously.  'What have you done?  Is there a baby here?'

'Kal-El,' said a voice that Lex remembered from the beginning of his nightmare.  'There is a baby.  It is your baby.  The fruit of your seed, created from the flesh of your human consort.  He is part human, but he will grow in Kryptonian strength as time goes on.'

'What exactly... no, never mind.  Just give us the baby.  We'll take care of him.'

'He's better off here,' said the voice.

'No!  I disagree.  He's better off with his family.  Where is he?'

A door opened in the side of the ship, and Lex ran toward it.  A baby lay in an incubator of some kind.  He opened his eyes, and Lex knew him.  'Connor!' he said.  'You're real.  You're real.'

************

Lex sat in a sunny window,  looking out over the Inlet, Joy beside him on the floor, her head resting on his foot.

There was a tap at the door, and Mercy looked in.  'You wanted to see me, sir?' she asked.

'Yes, come in Mercy.  But please, call me Lex.'

'Lex,' said Mercy.  'How are you feeling?'

'Fine,' said Lex.  'How about you?'

'Fine.'

'And now that we've exchanged meaningless pleasantries.... How have they been treating you, in my absence? And please be honest.'

'They've been treating me very well.  I have a nice room....'

'I'll see you get a better one,' said Lex.'

'... and... and everyone has been kind....'

'Good.'

'Even though I didn't do anything to deserve it.'

'You flung yourself in front of a monster to protect me,' said Lex.  'What more could you have done?'

'I only did my job,' said Mercy.  'I'm used to doing difficult and scary things to make a living.'

'Well, if you're already tired of being my bodyguard, I'll find something more pleasant for you to do. I wouldn't blame you.'

'No.  No, not at all,' said Mercy.  'I don't think I'm up to facing more monsters right away, but....'

'That's okay,' said Lex.  'Neither am I.'

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then Mercy stirred, restlessly.

'You may leave if you like,' said Lex.

'No, no.  I'm just bored with nothing to do.  But if you want to be alone?'

'Not particularly,' said Lex.  'If you want to keep me company, find yourself something to read, and make yourself comfortable.  There are some books over there,' he added, indicating a side table against a wall.

Mercy wandered over and picked up a small book.  Then she chuckled,  'Flatland?  Oh, I read that in college.  An intriguing concept.  And yes, I did go to college, though it was only a community college, for two years.  I never got a degree.'

'If you would wish to continue your education, I can arrange it,' said Lex.  'I like to have educated people around me.  But it's not a requirement, only a suggestion.'

'I'll think about it,' said Mercy.  She held up the book, and asked.  'Have you read this?'

'Years ago,' said Lex.  'But I was just looking at it again, a little earlier.  I feel as though I've been trapped in a strange dimension myself for the last few days.'

'What did happen?' asked Mercy, and then, when Lex didn't answer, looked down at the book and murmured, 'Sorry.  I'm sure you'd rather not talk about it.'

'Not really,' said Lex.  'I'm not even sure what happened myself. But you're involved.  You were injured defending me.  So you should know something.'

....They had been in the farmhouse kitchen, drinking tea.  Martha heated some milk for Connor.  From somewhere or other she had hunted down a baby bottle, and Lex sat with the baby in his arms, learning how to feed him.  His hair was dark, thought Lex, but not black or brown.  It had red highlights in it.  His eyes were green, though.

'Lex?  Are you listening?'  Clark had asked.

'Yes, of course,' said Lex.

'We didn't call in the police,' Martha said.  'It didn't seem to be a police matter -- what with the strange monster, and all.'

Davis had winced, but said nothing.

'You were only gone for three days,'  Martha continued.   'Joy and Mercy were slightly injured, but they're recovering.'

'I'm sorry,' said Davis.  'This... thing takes me over, but I don't mean to hurt people.  I'm trying to fight it.  That's why....'

He had seemed unable to explain further, so Clark took over.  'Davis thinks the ship can help him.  I don't see how.'

'I came with the ship,' Davis had explained.  'That's all I remember.  But I remember you, Lex.  A man found me.  A big man with red hair.  He took me to his home, in Victoria, and I met you there.  You were kind. And friendly.  I remember that.'

Lex now had vague memories of this, himself.  'We played with my action figures,' he said.  'Warrior Angel.'

'Yes!' said Davis, leaning forward.  'You told me you wanted to be Warrior Angel when you grew up.  You wanted to be my friend, but the big man took me away.'

'Lionel,' said Lex.  'My father.  He told me you didn't want to be my friend.'

'No.  I did.  But he took me away. He left me in an alley somewhere, and I grew up in one foster home after another. But I never forgot your friendship.'

Oh, God, thought Lex.  Another poor innocent who imprinted on me in childhood.

'When I saw you, I thought you must be the key to my problems.  I was only going to call on you.  Ask what you remembered from those days.  Maybe you knew where the ship was.  The next thing I knew, we were in the caves.  I realized I'd abducted you, and I was horrified, so I ran off leaving you there.  It was cowardly of me.'

'But when you learned we were looking for Lex, you came to us and confessed,' said Martha.  'That makes up for a lot.'

'I don't want to do anything like that again,' said Davis.  'I'm hoping the ship can help.'

'First we have to fix the ship,' said Clark.  'It's all screwed up at least as bad as you are.'

'Thanks, Kent.'

'Don't mention it... Lex?  Are you okay?'

'No, Clark. I'm not okay.'

'What happened to you in that cave?  The ship just told me it created an alternate universe for you to live in.  I didn't like what I saw of that universe.'

'I don't want to talk about it,' said Lex.

'But Lex, we have to talk about it.  We have a baby, now. A son.'

'Yes, I'm confused about that,' said Jonathan Kent.  'How do two men create a baby?  I know this is the twenty-first century....'

'Krytonian technology,' said Clark.

'I guess,' said Jonathan.  'But how are you going to care for this baby?  What do either of you know about raising children?'

Clark laughed.  'What did you and Mom know about raising children when you found me?'

'Not much,' Jonathan allowed.  'But we'd been married for years, and we'd been trying to have children for some time.'

'That's true,' said Clark.  'But lots of married people are terrible parents.'  He picked up a newspaper lying on the table, and pointed to a story about some horrifically abusive father in Austria.  'Look at this!'  he said.  'He locked his own daughter in the basement  and raped her.  For years! I'm sure Lex and I can be better parents than that.'

Lex had looked down at the beautiful baby in his arms, and shook all over with fear.  Would he be a better parent, or would he be even worse than Lionel? And then there was his mother, and what had happened that day with Julian.   He heard Gina drive up to the farmhouse door, and it seemed like a signal to act.  He stood up, and put the baby in Martha's arms.

'You're right, Mr Kent,' he said.  'I'm sure you and Mrs. Kent would be much better parents than I could ever be.'

'Lex!  What are you doing?' said Clark.

'Don't worry, Clark.  I won't ignore my responsibilities.  I'll pay child support, and this baby will never want for anything....'


.... 'Alien technology?  And you're a father, just like that?   If I hadn't seen that monster with my own eyes....'

'You'd think I was nuts, or something?' asked Lex.

'Or trying to pull my leg,' said Mercy.

'No, it all happened,' said Lex.   An even stranger dimension than Flatland, he thought.

'But you left the baby with the Kents,' said Mercy.  'Why?'

'That's what I can't figure out, either,' said a voice from the doorway.

'Clark,' said Lex.  'What are you doing here?'

'What do you think,' said Clark.  'This is your baby, too.'

'I know that, and I promise you....'

'The baby doesn't want money, Lex,' said Clark.  'He wants you.'

'I'm not worthy of him.  I'm not sure I can love him the way he deserves.  He was ripped from my flesh, against my will.  What if all that comes back to me, and....'

And the baby started to cry, and then Lex was across the room, taking him from Clark, rocking him, crying with him, crying to him....  'It's alright, baby.  It's alright.  I'm here, Connor.  I'm here....'

***************

Lex straightened a picture on the wall, and stepped back to admire it.  'There!' he said, triumphantly.  'What do you think?'

'Of the picture?  I think it's revoltingly sweet and bland, but what do I know about art?'

'I don't know, Clark.  What do you know about art?  But this is a baby's room, not the Louvre.  I don't want to be accused of traumatizing my child in his infancy with scenes of sex and violence, however artistic they may be.  But I was asking what you thought of my version of Connor's nursery.  We worked together on this room, and the one at the farmhouse. We spent approximately the same amount of time and money on each.  The fake story of his origins has been arranged and we should have the adoption papers soon.  We have equal custody.  Equal access rights. Connor will spend half the year with me, and half with you.  Specific times to be agreed upon by us both, depending on specific circumstances.'

'Specific circumstances?'

'Yes. Such as that if one of us must be away from Echo Valley for a time, Connor will reside with the other parent.  And that time will be subtracted from the six months alloted to....'

'Lex. For fuck's sake.'

'Language, Clark. This is Connor's room.'

'Sorry.... Connor isn't here right now, Lex. We are.  We've used the word 'fuck' in each other's company before.  In fact, we've fucked before. That was some time ago. Too long ago, in fact, but I still have hopes....'

'I don't want to discuss the matter, Clark.'

'We have to discuss the matter.'

'No, we do not. Not right now.'

'Connor has the right to two parents who love each other.'

'Manipulative little blackmailing scum,' said Lex, in a pleasant tone of voice.

Clark didn't blink.  'We need to talk, Lex,' he said.

'Talk, talk, talk.  We're guys, Clark. Guys don't talk.  They grunt once in a while, mostly during football games. But they don't talk about their feelings, and shit like that.'

'Language, Lex. This is Connor's room.  And you might be a guy, but I'm a fairy.'

'Since when?'

'And we fairies love to chatter.  If we can't talk about our feelings, how are we going to talk about Connor's upbringing, and schooling?  Just dividing his time in half isn't going to work forever, you know.  He might get confused, travelling back and forth between your house and mine.'

'Children are remarkably resilient,' said Lex.  'They can survive a lot.  Look at you.'

'I wish you would,' said Clark.

'You survived travelling through space.  In a space ship.  An evil space ship.  Who knows what effect that had on you?'

'I was a baby. It's the effect it had on you I want to talk about.'

'Some other time,' said Lex.  'I need to see if the adoption papers have arrived.'

'You just checked,' said Clark.  'Five minutes ago.'

'You need to finish filling out your application to university.  I insist my son's other parent be well educated.  Don't wait until the last minute to arrange that.'

'No, sir.  Anything else?'

'Don't,' said Lex.  'Don't do that.  I don't mean to boss you around.  It's just that....'

'We really do need to talk,' said Clark.

*************

'So, you know how to make espresso all by yourself,' said Clark.

Lex turned on his personal espresso machine to warm the filter, and ground enough Salt Spring Coffee Metta Espresso beans to make two cups.  'It's not that difficult,' said Lex, as he tamped down the coffee in the filter.  'I learned how to do this when I lived in Paris.'  The hot coffee bubbled out into the little cups.  'Do you want foamed milk?' he asked Clark.

'No thanks... mmmm. This is great.  You should open your own cafe.  No, really.  This is way better than Starbucks.'

'I'm no trained barista, but I do know what I'm doing.  I am planning on opening a cafe, actually, though I wouldn't work the counter myself.  I could teach a few people how to make good espresso, though.  It's an idea.  Now, let's have this talk you wanted, Clark.  You go first.  Tell me all about Davis.  What did he mean that he came with the ship, like you?  Is he Kryptonian?'

'Sort of,' said Clark.  'From what we can make out, the ship gathered biological material, and made it into a living being.'

'It gathered biological material.  You mean like this?'  Lex opened his shirt and the zip on his pants.

'Oh, my God.  Lex!  Is that what the ship did to you?  Why didn't you tell me earlier?'

'The scars are almost healed,' Lex told him.  'It doesn't hurt.  It's not important.'  Lex zipped his pants again, and buttoned his shirt.

'Not important?  Of course it's important.'

'It's important that your Mother Ship....'

'Father ship,' said Clark.  'It was created by my father.'

'Your father ship, then.  It's important that it gathers biological material and creates living beings.  That's what's important.  It thinks it's God. And it's not.'

'It has to be stopped,' said Clark.  'I'm working on that.'

'Good,' said Lex.  'But this... this thing raised you.'

'No.  Mom and Dad raised me.'

'You were lucky,' said Lex.  'My father is evil, like yours, but he had free rein, for the most part, in raising me.  I had a terrible time breaking free of him.  But now I know why all that happened.  It's so I can help you fight any influence your father has over you.  It's not so we can spend all our time having sex.'

'Lex!'

'No. Don't touch me.  Is that clear?'

'Yes.  It's clear.  But please tell me why.  Please.'

'Your Father Ship has strange ideas about human sexual relationships,' said Lex.  'Or maybe his ideas are based on Kryptonian sexual relationships. Either way, I don't agree with his ideas.  No one touches me without my permission.'

'What... what did he do to you?  That other Clark, I mean.'

'He shared your father's ideas,' said Lex.

Clark had turned as white as a sheet.  'Lex... I... I'm not that Clark.  I'm not.'

'I know,' said Lex.  'Otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here.  And I wouldn't let you within a thousand light years of my son.  But still, that Clark was created by your father, based on his intentions for you. You are going to have to earn my entire trust, before you get to touch me again.  If that seems like too hard a row for you to hoe....'

'No. No, I understand.  However long it takes, Lex.  I promise.'

Lex drained his espresso, and put the cup down in the saucer. 'Good,' he said.  'I'll understand if you change your mind. In the meantime, I need to see if Connor's adoption papers are finished. Why don't you spend a few minutes with him, and then head home?   Unless you want to take him home with you tonight?'

'No,' said Clark, softly.  'You keep him tonight.  I'll take him tomorrow.  Lex....'

'Yes?'

'I do love you, Lex.  I would never....'

'I know,' said Lex.  'It's why you're still alive.'

***************

Joy was fretting, clearly wanting to go outside, but refusing to leave Lex even for a moment, so he took her for a walk, leaving Connor with Mercy and Gina.  Joy trotted at his heels, brushing against his leg, woofing a little once in a while, trying to get him to play.  Finally Lex gave in, and tossed her ball a few feet.  Joy chased it, then nosed it along the ground, until it rolled under a bush.  She then pretended it was lost, and begged Lex to find it for her.

Lex sighed.  'Joy, it's right there, under your nose.  You're a dog, you can smell it way better than I can, even if you can't see it.'

Joy pretended not to understand, and, looking sad, nosed around under the foliage.  Then she sat down and refused to budge without her ball.

'Okay, okay.  This is silly, but....'  Lex got down on his knees and retrieved the ball, but Joy took the opportunity to jump on him, wagging her tail.  They romped around in the snow for a few minutes, and then Joy tugged one of his gloves right off his hands and took off with it, down the path.

'Joy!  Where are you going?  I need that glove.'  Lex picked up her ball, to offer her in exchange when he caught her, and tore off after her.  He turned a corner, and there she was, the little traitor -- happily sitting at Clark's feet.  Clark now had the glove.

'So, this was all a plot,' said Lex.

'Yes,' said Clark.  'Kryptonians speak dog language, and I set it up all beforehand.  Good girl, Joy.  You followed my instructions to the letter.'  Clark glanced at him quickly, and then away, just as fast.  'See?  He has more colour in his cheeks already.'

'That's nice,' said Lex.  'May I have my glove back now, please?'

'No,' said Clark.

'I beg your pardon?' said Lex.

'Pardon granted,' said Clark. 'But the glove is mine, by right of... of capture.  It's my lover's glove.  A token.  I'm going to keep it, until you are within my arms again.'

'What exactly are you going to do with it?' asked Lex.

'I'm going to gaze on it, and sigh,' said Clark.  He held the glove to his nose, and took a deep, theatrical sniff.  'It smells like expensive leather, and you.'

'It is made of expensive leather,' said Lex.  'And so I would like it back, please.'

'No,' said Clark, again.  'I need a token from my lover.'

'Okay, okay,' said Lex, bowing to the inevitable, as he had done with Joy only a moment before.  'Keep the damned glove, as long as you promise only to look at it, and smell it.'

'What do you mean.... Oh!  Certainly not.  That would be gross,' said Clark.  He glared at Lex, and stalked off.

************

They came in the back door of the castle, because of their muddy feet.  'You need a bath,' said Lex, giving Joy a once over.  'So do I,' he added.  But he heard voices from the library, where he had left Connor.  The door had been left slightly ajar, and as Lex walked up quietly, he could hear the voice of Martha Kent.

'Well, I think the society is sexist.  I don't think it necessarily follows that the author is.  I mean, it's a social satire, right?'

'Yes.  But see, the women are destined to remain lines forever, whereas the men can all better themselves and their heritage by becoming triangles and squares and so on.  Biology is destiny?  And the laws against educating women.  Bah!'

'But the author was clearly against that.  And look at the end of the book.  The narrator wants converts to his knowledge of the Higher Dimensions.  So he tries to teach his grandson.'

'And the grandson is useless as a student.  You're right. The wife is curious, but the narrator brushes her off with lies, because he's sexist.'

Lex stepped into the room, and Martha and Mercy looked up.  Mercy had been holding up the book Flatland, gesturing with it.  Martha had Connor in her lap.

'Oh, there you are, Lex.  I just came to see how Connor was doing.  He was a bit fussy just after you left for your walk, Mercy tells me.  But a moment ago he calmed down, and then you walked in.  Interesting.'

'Coincidence,' said Lex, but he felt a lift in his spirits, nevertheless.  Martha held out her armload of baby to him, and Lex gathered it close.  Connor looked up at him with a dark, perfect love that seemed to see all, accept all, and forgive all.  It wasn't a directed, pointed love, such as Clark's, or even Lionel's.  This was an all-consuming love.  The look in Connor's eyes said, 'Love me back, or I will die.'  And that look spoke total truth.

Lex sat down, and glanced over at Mercy's book.  'I think there is evidence to support both theories,' he commented.  'You could say the author claims that biology is destiny.  On the other hand, it's clear that the Flatlander males keep women in their place. Why deny them education, and so on, if women cannot be other than simple-minded and emotional?'

'I suppose they think that educating an emotional, simple-minded person makes them even more dangerous?' Martha suggested.  'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing?'

'And total ignorance isn't?'

'Oh, I completely agree with you,' said Martha.  'I'm just trying to see it from their point of view.'

'I doubt you truly could,' said Mercy.  'They live in Flatland, after all.'   She got to her feet and made gestures suggesting she was leaving Lex and Martha alone.

'You don't have to leave,' said Lex.

'No, I do,' said Mercy.  'I need to visit the ladies room.'

Lex nodded, and looked down at Connor.  'How about you?' he asked.  'Need your diaper changed?'  Connor made a little gurgling sound, as if he were laughing.

'I just changed his diaper,' said Martha.  'He should be okay for a while.'

Joy climbed up on the sofa beside Lex, and sniffed Connor all over, as she did every time they were in the same room.  'He's a small person, like you,' Lex told her.  'And he smells a bit like me, and a bit like Clark.  His name is Connor.'  Joy sighed, as if the conundrum were too much to understand, but she settled down beside them, keeping one eye on Lex and the other on Connor.

'She adores him,' Lex told Martha.  'But she doesn't know what to make of him. I feel much the same, I must confess.'

'How are you doing?' asked Martha.  'Clark told me a little about what you went through -- not much, but more than you told us.'

He shouldn't have done that, thought Lex.  But no, that was unfair.  They were connected now, like a family, and his new family needed to know a few pertinent facts.

Connor was asleep.  Lex tucked him into his cradle, next to his chair.  'Come over here, please,' he asked Martha.  'I want to tell you some things, and even though Connor is a baby, I don't want to do so in his hearing. Who knows how much babies remember subconsciously, after they grow up?'

Martha followed him across the room, to sit in front of the blazing fire.  'How well did you know my mother?' he asked her.

'Not well,' she said.  'We did know each other, but I wouldn't call us friends.'

'No, not likely,' said Lex.  'Luthors don't tend to have friends.  But that's neither here nor there.  Since we are now connected, both through Clark and through Connor, I must tell you a few things about my family.   I once had a baby brother, for a few days.'

'What happened?' asked Martha.

'The baby died,' said Lex.  'But that isn't the saddest part. The saddest part is that Mother killed him, and I saw her do it.  Do you see now why I was afraid to have sole custody of Connor?'

Martha was silent for a long moment, gazing at Lex.  'I see,' she said at last.  'Are you afraid you'll do the same thing your mother did?'

'I would protect Connor with my life,' said Lex.  'Against anything and anyone, just as I swore to protect Julian, my brother. But I'm afraid of going insane, like Mother did.'

'Then we must make sure that doesn't happen,' said Martha.  'I'm no psychiatrist, but as I understand it, if you can doubt your own sanity, if you can fear doing something crazy, you probably are perfectly sane.  Your mother... she probably thought she was doing the right thing?'

'Yes,' said Lex.  'She said she was protecting Julian, against my father, against the world.'

'Do you think she was right?  Would you consider such a course of action sane?'

'No!'

'Then I don't think you're in much danger of following your mother's example,' said Martha.  'But I'll stand by you -- with you.  Clark will do the same.  We'll make sure nothing like that goes wrong.'

'Thank you,' said Lex.  'Clark is.... Clark knows nothing of this.  I still don't trust him with everything.'

'That's reasonable,' said Martha.  'Clark is young.  He's growing up, but still... we raised him to think of others before himself, but children grow up and go their own way, sometimes.  I think you're good for him.'

Lex looked up, surprised.  'You do?'

'I do.  You don't let him get away with things.  You expect a lot of him.  Clark... Clark isn't a normal teenage boy.  He needs someone to truly challenge him.  You can do that.'

Connor woke up, and cried.  He probably needed his diaper changed.  Again.

'No, Clark isn't a normal teenage boy,' said Lex.  'He's a father now, and Connor will be spending half his time with him.'

'I'll help,' said Martha.  'Not just for Clark, but for you, too.'

They got up together, changed Connor's diaper together, fed him together, and then Martha went home.  Lex stood by Connor's cradle for a long time, and when he went to his own bed, he felt a lot less like Nowhere Man.



***********
Chapter Eight
***********

Lex felt more relaxed than he had felt for days, and so he slept more deeply, and when the voices woke him it felt like being dragged out of deep, warm water onto parched desert.

'No!  Lionel, let me go.'

A slap.  A cry.  A thud, as if from a heavy body landing on the floor.  More cries.  Lex climbed out of bed and ran down the hall.  The cries were coming from his mother's room.  What was happening?  The door wasn't quite shut, and he pushed it open, slightly.

His mother was on the floor, her nightgown dragged up.  Father was on top of her, and he was....

'No!  Daddy. What are you doing?  You're hurting Mother.'

Lionel looked up at him and his face was red and enraged.  'What are you doing in here, you little... Get out!'

'No, Daddy.  You're hurting her.  Let her go.'

Lionel got to his feet.  He was nearly naked and his penis was huge and scary.  'I said to get out,' he roared.  'Unless you want to take her place?'

Lex shook all over in terror.  His father was big and threatening, and Lex didn't understand his words, not really.  He guessed this had something to do with sex, but sex was supposed to be beautiful and loving, and this was horrible and frightening.  He drew himself up to his full height, and said, 'I'll leave, if you promise not to hurt Mommy.'

Some of the rage left Lionel's face.  'I'm not hurting her,' he said.  'This is something between us.  Adult stuff.  You wouldn't understand.'

'I'll be okay, Lex,' said his mother.  Her voice was small, and shaky, but she didn't seem hurt.  She was bleeding, and she'd stopped crying.  Maybe this really was something adult, and beyond his understanding.

Lex turned and ran from the room.  The halls were dark now, and he wasn't sure in which direction he was running.  He came to a staircase and followed it down, down, down.  Then he was in the library.  His mother was there.  Her stomach was huge and swollen.  With child, Lex thought.  A sister or a brother.  From that night, perhaps?  That night eight months ago?  Yes.

'Your father wants another son,' said Lillian Luthor.  'He wants to raise him to be a true Luthor.'

'I'm a disappointment,' said Lex, but he felt no pain at the thought.  There would be a sister or a brother.  Someone to love and care for.  Someone to protect.

'I can't protect you against him,' said his mother.  'But this child I could protect.'  She smiled, in a distant way.  Lex felt a shiver that he didn't understand.

He ran from the room again, and then he heard a baby crying.  Crying, crying.  Julian, his brother.  He must protect Julian.  Julian was his to love and care for.  But then the crying stopped, and mother was leaving the room, smiling.  'He'll be safe now,' she said, smiling in that distant way, as if she saw a far-off land.  And Julian had stopped crying, but he'd stopped breathing, too.  And the pillow that was supposed to be under his head lay beside his head. What had happened?  Something adult that Lex didn't understand?

'Love makes people do strange things,' said a voice from the doorway.  Clark?  But no, not Clark.  Not his Clark.  The other Clark, the more adult Clark that Lex couldn't understand.

'What do you know of love?' asked Lex.

'What does that little boy know,' the false Clark countered.  'You know you liked it better with me.  You know you wanted to take your mother's place that night.  You know....'

'You know nothing,' said Lex and then he was running again, down darkened halls, on and on.  The false Clark was chasing him, but not with any seriousness, as if he knew he could catch him easily.  Lex ran back to the library.  He stood before the fireplace, studying the moonlight on the floor.

'This is the furthest the rays of the moon ever reach,' he said.   'In winter, when the sun is low in the sky, it reaches this far, too.  In the moonlight.... moonlight, as cold as the light of the sun of Krypton.  Cold, like ice.'

And there, on the library floor, before the fire, was a chip of ice.  No.  Not ice. It was crystal.  Crystal that only shone in the moonlight.  Lex touched it, pressed on it, and something clicked.  A door opened over the fireplace, and Lex got to his feet, just as the false Clark marched into the room.  Lex reached inside the secret chamber, and there it was.  The crystal Mother had shown him all those years ago.

'This crystal will control any alien from Krypton,' she had told him. 'When you need it, it will be here, and you will remember.'

Lex took it from its resting place, and held it high.  The moonlight shone upon it. The false Clark stopped dead in the doorway, unable to enter or to leave.  Lex pulled his cellphone from his pocket and pressed the number 9, for Clark.  Martha Kent answered after several rings.  'Hello?' she said, in a sleepy voice.

'I'm sorry to bother you, Mrs. Kent,' said Lex.  'But I need to speak to Clark.  Is he awake?'

After a long moment of silence, Clark came on the line.  'Lex?  What's wrong?' he asked.

'I need you to come to the Castle,' Lex told him.  'Could you come right away?'

And then there was a whoosh, and Clark stood before him. The real Clark.  His face was pale, and he stared at the crystal in horror.  'What is that... that thing?' he asked.

'I'm sorry,' said Lex.  'I don't want to use this on you, but we have to work together here.  Who is that?'  Lex pointed at the false Clark.

The real Clark turned to look, and then took a step back.  'He looks like me,' he said. 'Is he that Clark?  The one my father created?'

'Yes, and he invaded my dreams,' Lex told him.  'I think we need to have a conversation with your father, the ship, don't you?'


***************

The cave was just as Lex had remembered it.  For a moment, he feared that his rescue had been merely a dream, and he was still a prisoner in this natural dungeon. But Clark was with him -- both Clarks, actually.  His own Clark and the Evil, False Clark. Joy had insisted on coming along. leaping into his arms, just as Clark picked Lex up to carry him here.

And Lex had light.  Not merely the tiny light of his BlackBerry, but a large, freshly charged flashlight.

'This is the entrance to the secret chamber,' said Clark.  'You press here and here and the wall swings open.'

'The ship created the chamber itself?' asked Lex, watching as the stone wall opened to admit them all.

'I think so,' said Clark, sounding more than a bit uncertain. 'I still can't seem to convince the ship to explain much of anything.  It talks in riddles.'

Lex snorted.  'Let me interview it,' he said.  He pointed at False Clark.  'You may stay at the back of the room and keep your mouth shut.'

Evil Clark laughed.  'That wasn't what you said last night,' he sneered.

'Last night?' asked Lex, in a soft, dangerous voice.

Evil Clark looked confused for a moment.  'Last night,' he explained, after a moment.  'When you wanted me to suck you off.'

'What?' Clark shouted.  'What have you been doing?  Lex?'

'In his dreams,' said Lex.  'This is the Clark your Father Ship constructed to torment me in that Alternate Reality, remember?  He was trying to turn me into the Total Woman.  Any real woman would have had his balls for a dashboard decoration.  You know -- like fuzzy dice.  Never mind.  Where is Daddy, anyway?'

'Father!' said False Clark.  'We have visitors.'

And then Lex felt it, that strange warping of reality, reaching for him, as if to pull him in once more. Something held it off -- the crystal, probably.

'Yes,' Lex announced to the room at large.  'We're here for a visit.  Just a little social call.  Myself, my pet dog, and Clark Kent.  The real Clark Kent.  This other Clark is superfluous.  We are returning him, for disposal.'

'Hey!' said False Clark.

Lex pointed at him with the crystal.  'I told you to stay back,' he said.  'You are superfluous, and disliked.  Kindly fold yourself up into a little package and prepare to be disposed of.  Clark's Father?  Ship?  Whatever you prefer to be called?  Are you awake?'

'Yes,' drawled a voice, deeper than Lex remembered from his first visit here.

'Good,' said Lex.  'We have come to discuss relations between your family and mine.  Clark and I have already produced one offspring.  He is, I think you would agree, quite satisfactory. The conditions under which the offspring was produced were not satisfactory to me, however.  I am the scion of a noble and wealthy family here on Earth, and such treatment as I received at your hands was a scandal and a hissing.  I will consider forgiving my mistreatment, and even the production of more offspring....'

'Lex!' Clark exclaimed.

Lex waved Clark to silence, with a glare.  He went on, '...under better conditions, if you provide me with sufficient data upon which to base my decision.'

There was a long moment of silence.  The ship seemed to hum to itself, under its breath.  Then it responded. 'What sort of data and conditions do you require?'

'For example,' said Lex.  'As I have already noted, there are two Clark Kents.  One is sufficient, surely. Two are confusing.  They both have the same DNA, I assume?'

'Yes,' said the ship.

'Then we do, indeed, only need one.  Please neutralize the second Clark.'

A glowing panel appeared in the cave wall.  'I will freeze the spare Clark,' said the ship.  'I will keep him alive here, in case I need him in future. Is that acceptable to you?'

Lex considered this option for a moment, comparing it to a long, drawn-out battle for False Clark's instant death and destruction.  'Acceptable,' he said at last.

The glowing panel moved toward False Clark.  'No!' he shouted.  There was a sudden flash of light.  Lex couldn't see what happened next, but when he opened his eyes, it was his own Clark hanging frozen upon the wall.

'What have you done?' gasped Lex.  'You froze the wrong Clark.'

False Clark laughed.  'Too late now,' he said.  He turned, pushed open the wall, and closed it behind him.

'Stop him,' Lex shouted.  'He's escaping.'

'It is indeed too late,' said the ship. 'I have frozen one Clark, as you asked.  Why are you complaining?'

'Because you froze the wrong Clark, as I just told you.'

'They are identical. They share the same DNA.'

'They are not at all alike,' said Lex.

'I don't agree,' said the ship.  'They are identical, to me.'

'Then unfreeze this Clark,' said Lex.

'I have done what you asked,' said the ship.  'It is illogical to keep changing your mind and coming up with new demands.  I'm shutting down now.  Please leave and close the door quietly on your way out.'

'How dare you ignore me,' Lex shouted.  'Free Clark Kent immediately.'

The ship was silent, ignoring Lex's protests.  Why did the crystal no longer work?  Was something neutralizing its power?

'Why is your race so insane?' Lex shouted at Clark. He swore at him a few times for good measure, but since Clark didn't appear to be conscious and capable of understanding his words, nor was he apparently offended by them, the fun of that wore off after a while.

'We should get out of here,' Lex told Joy.  'While we still can.'  If they still could, he thought.  But the cave wall opened for him easily enough.  It was dark in the passageway, and Lex turned on his flashlight.  The cave looked strange to him now, the passageways confusing and different.  'Which way do we go?' he murmured to Joy.  'Do we turn right, or left?'

Joy looked up at him, barked sharply, and turned left.  Lex shrugged, and followed.  Dogs often had a better sense of direction, he thought.

Suddenly Joy perked up her ears, barked frantically, and began to run.

'What's wrong?' Lex asked, but then he heard the sound behind them -- a great rushing of water.  Lex ran as fast as he could, and they reached the exit just as the flood hit them.  It carried them far out into the river, but they survived.  Joy paddled to him, grabbed his arm in her sharp little teeth, and tugged him toward the shore.  As they dragged themselves onto dry land, Lex pulled her into his arms and kissed her furry head.  'You saved my life,' he said.  'Now we have to save Clark.'


***********
Chapter Nine
***********

It had been a while since Lex had used his office, and the ashes in the fireplace were cold and grey.  Lex nodded with approval.  On his orders, even the servants didn't come in here to clean, unless invited in by Lex himself.  The moonlight streamed across the slightly dusty floor, bright as a cold alien sun.

Lex placed a couple of fresh logs among the dead ashes, and set them aflame.  Then he stepped back, studied the stretch of moonlight across the floor, positioned himself in what he hoped was the correct spot, and called, 'Lara.'

No answer.  Lex tried again, and then a third time, rather desperately.  On his third attempt, the dancing moonlight and dust motes coalesced into a woman, dressed in white.  She gazed at him out of calm blue eyes.

Lex nodded to her, with respect, but not devotion.  'You are Lara,' he said.  'The mother of Kal-El.  You were not just a dream.'

'I am an artificial intelligence, based upon Lara Lor-Van,' said the figure in white.  'I possess her intelligence, her memories, her emotions and desires.'

'Do you also possess the insanity of that other so-called intelligence,' asked Lex.  'The one who froze your son and hung him upon the wall of a cave?'

'Jor-El did that?' asked Lara.  Her face grew still, her expression distant.  Then her eyes opened wide.  'I cannot contact him,' she said.  'I was able to monitor him, somewhat, prior to this day.  Now all connection has been broken off.'

'Good!' said Lex. 'Don't try to re-establish a connection of any kind.  Jor-El is warping reality all around him, now.  He did it with me -- to me -- successfully.  Clark -- Kal-El -- rescued me.  But Jor-El created a replica of Clark.  Did you know that?  Now the real Clark is frozen.  In stasis.  The replica has taken over, and he has Jor-El's ability to warp reality.  He's convinced everyone in town he's the real Clark, and that I'm evil and dangerous.  He's taken up with Lana Lang, and they're all over each other.  The only good thing about that, is that he's not trying to rape me.'

'Rape you?'  Lara sounded horrified, which was reassuring.  At least not all Kryptonians were in favour of rape.

'I'll tell you the whole story later,' said Lex.  'The important thing right now is, what do we do?  There's an impostor out there, pretending to be Clark Kent.  He has Clark's powers, but not his character.  If you are still on my side, and you want to help me protect Earth... is it safe to talk in this room?  Can Clark hear us?   Will he know what we're planning?'

'No,' said Lara.  'This room is soundproofed against Kryptonian hearing, as well as all human listening devices.  You may speak freely.  And I am on your side.  I am an artificial intelligence based upon Lara Lor-Van.  I cannot be bought or sold or bribed, for I have no feelings or desires other than those programmed into me, by Lara herself.'

'The crystal isn't working,' said Lex.  'Not as it should, I mean.  I can use it to protect myself, but I can't force Clark to obey me, or Jor-El to correct his mistake.'

'The crystal was designed to control one Kryptonian at a time,' Lara explained.  'Two at the most, though even that would be stretching it. But with Kal-El, Jor-El and the impostor.... '

'It's too much,' said Lex, grimly.  'I see.'

'And Jor-El has grown too strong.  His web is reaching out....'

'Like the Dark Lord of Mordor.'

'Who?'

'Never mind,' said Lex.  'Earth culture.  How do we stop him?'

'There are more crystals, designed to control the AI, lest it go rogue, as it has.'

'Good,' said Lex.  'Where do I find them?'

'That's the problem.  They fell to Earth in different locations.'

'Just to make things difficult?'

'Yes,' said Lara, simply.  'Earth's Champion must be intelligent, courageous, determined and resourceful.  You have been raised to be that Champion.  You have been raised to be Kal-El's Companion and his conscience, as he is yours.  It is not simply a matter of proving yourself worthy, you must actually be worthy.'

'I understand,' said Lex.  'I must begin the search for these crystals now... but first.'  He went to the house phone and called Mercy.  'Bring Connor to my office, please,' he told her.

Lex watched her face, as Mercy entered the room, carrying Connor.  She caught sight of Lara, and stopped dead, but a moment later, she recovered and asked,  'Is this a ghost, sir?'

'In a sense,' said Lex.

'I am an artificial intelligence,' said Lara.  'The image you see is a projection.'

'I see,' said Mercy.  Her eyes were bright and curious, and not afraid.

'This is my new assistant,' said Lex.  'And the child she is holding is my son, Connor.  My son, and Clark's son.  Mercy, I want you to stay in this office, with Connor, until I give you permission to leave. This is important.  There is a washroom through that door, and a fridge with a stock of food and drink behind the bar.'

'Yes, sir,' said Mercy, in a steady voice.  'Should I assume that someone is threatening Connor?'

'Assume that, yes.  Assume that anyone who enters this room is a potential kidnapper or murderer, and react accordingly.  We aren't staying here long, but until we leave, Connor is your only responsibility.'

Mercy nodded.  'I understand,' she said.  'May I ask where we're going next?'

'You may ask,' said Lex.  'But I can't answer, because I'm not sure myself.'

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud conversation in the hall.  'You cannot go into that room, Mr Kent,' one of the servants was saying.  'Mr Luthor gave precise instructions that no one was to be allowed in.  He said that included you.'

'Tell Mr. Luthor that I have to see him, or I'll break down the door,' said the voice that sounded so much like Clark's -- and so much unlike.  There was something off about it.  Something self righteous and selfish.

Lex opened the door, and stepped into the hallway.

'Clark,' he said.

'Lex,' said the fake Clark.

'Lex,' said the man standing beside him.

'Father,' said Lex.

'It is a wise man who knows his father,' said the False Clark.

'What can I do for you, Clark?'  Lex drawled.

Clark lifted his head in the air, folded his arms, and looked down his nose at Lex.  'I want nothing from you, Lex,' he said. 'Except what's mine.  I want Conner.'

'Conner isn't yours.  He's ours.  Or rather, he's mine and the real Clark's.  The one whose place you stole.'

'You're deluded, Lex.  You're mentally ill.  Your father told me all about it.'

'Oh, yes?  Has he?  We've been down this path before, in the nightmare created by your father ship.  You're really the one who's deluded.  And I'm not turning Conner over to a clone and a child abuser.  Not while I have breath in my body.'

'Lex, Lex.  I never abused you,' said Lionel, in a soft, sincere voice.  'I tried to make you strong. To make you a real man.  That's real love -- tough love.'

'Maybe he would have treated you better, if you'd been a better person,' said Clark.  'You're not a good enough parent for Conner, Lionel and I have decided.'

'So,' said Lex.  'You're going to marry Lionel and raise Conner together?  Not on my watch.'

'Enough of your filthy insinuations,' said Lionel. 'I bet Conner's in here, if you're guarding the door.'  He pushed past Lex and into the office.

The next moment, he came flying back out the door, to crumple on the ground at Lex's feet.

'Try that again, and I'll break you in half, even if you are an old man,' said a hard voice that sounded vaguely like Mercy's.  'Back off, you,' she went on, pointing a gun at Clark's head.

'You can't hurt me with that,' said Clark, with a smirk.  'Ordinary bullets have no effect on me.  Hasn't Lex told you?'

'Nevertheless,' said Mercy, stepping between Lex and Clark.  'You're not touching Lex and you're not touching Conner, while I'm still alive.  Do you intend to kill me to get to them?'

'No. Of course not. What has Lex told you about me?  You're on the wrong side, Mercy.  Lex is a liar and a manipulator.  He's using you, and he'll use you up and then toss you aside like so much garbage.  He does that to everyone.'

'I know about users,' said Mercy. 'I've known all about them, all my life. And Lex is not one of them.'

'I think he is.  I think he's never thought about anyone but himself in his life.'

'You can think whatever you like.  Just take your thoughts and your new sugar daddy and get out.'

Clark took a step closer and who knew what might have happened, but at that moment, the front door opened and Martha Kent walked in.

'Honey?' she said.  'What are you doing here?  You were supposed to be cutting a Christmas Tree.'

'I came here to get Conner,' Clark whined.

'Not tonight,' said Martha.  'We're not ready for him yet.'

'But, Mom!'

'No.  Come home. We'll come back and get him tomorrow.  I'm sure he isn't going anywhere.  Is he, Mr. Luthor?' Her eyes met Lex's.

'No. Of course not,' said Lex.

Clark seemed to waver for a moment, and then an odd look came over his face.  It was a look of doubt, perhaps, or of compunction, and regret.  None of those expressions seemed to fit on this face.   'Okay,' he said.  'We'll be back tomorrow.'

Lionel had picked himself up off the floor, and glared at Lex and Mercy.  'Yes. We'll be back tomorrow,' he said.  'With lawyers.'

'Don't forget the guns and money,' said Lex.

He waited until the door closed upon his visitors before he pulled Mercy into the office.  'Gina!' he called.  'Have the room swept for bugs... and then we're going to have a long conversation, all of us... and you and I, especially,' he said to Mercy.  'Who the Hell are you?'

**********

Mercy sat beside the fire, head bent over her coffee cup.  'I come from New Orleans,' she told Lex.  'I was born into the Marcello Family.'

'Family?  Marcello?  You... you're Mafia?'  And Lex had been congratulating himself that nothing could surprise him any more.

'I was,' said Mercy.

'I have news for you, though this shouldn't be news. Once Mafia, always Mafia.  How did you escape?'

'They think I'm dead, of course.  It's a long story.'

'I have time for a few chapters.'

'The New Orleans Mafia branch is very secretive.  It's so inactive, people think it's dead.  It's no more dead than I am, but it does tend to hide in the shadows.  Tony... Mr. A, was grooming me to be one of his new underbosses.  He thought that using a woman would be less conspicuous.   Others in the family disagreed, and there was a big power struggle over it.  Tony won, but... he'd talked a lot about loyalty, but the loyalty only flows one way, in the Family.  Tony won the war.  I lost the battle.  I had to be put back in my place, as a woman.'

'I see,' said Lex.

'I decided I'd had enough.  That there had to be more to life than the Family.  So, I faked my death, and ran.  It was cowardly of me, I suppose.'

'No,' said Lex.  'It wasn't. I understand, completely.  You're in this country illegally, I take it?'

'That's why I was living in the Downtown Eastside, working as a whore.  Do you want to toss me back there, now?'

'Why would I do that?  What did your training involve?  You were trained as a soldier, I take it?  Have you ever killed anyone?'

Mercy shuddered.  'I've killed,' she whispered.  'But I never want to kill again.'

'Good,' said Lex.  'I don't want a psychopath who can kill without losing a minute of sleep after.  But if you've killed once, you can do it again, if you have to.  If we survive this crisis, I'll take care of the little illegal immigrant problem.  The Mafia have a point -- money talks.  And your old friends won't threaten you, even if they do find out you're alive.'

'You think you're more powerful than the Mafia?' asked Mercy, sounding a little sceptical.

'I don't think it,' said Lex.  'I know it.'

*************

It was the hour before dawn.   The darkest hour, thought Lex.  The hour in which most people near death gave up the ghost and died.

Lex signed the final paper.  He handed them all to Gina, and went to finish packing.  A change of underwear.  Diapers for Connor.  Joy's favourite chew toy. A loaded pistol.  All the necessities of life, he thought.

Mercy opened her eyes as he came back into the room.  'Is it time?' she asked.

'Nearly,' said Lex.  'Have some coffee.'

'I'm swimming in coffee,' she replied, but poured herself another cup, with an air that acknowledged it might be her last chance.

'The chopper should be landing in a few minutes,' said Lex.  'Everyone knows what they're supposed to do.  The mission is the most important thing.  If we should be separated -- for any reason -- the surviving members of the team carry on.  Saving Earth from the alien ship comes first.  Your life.  My life.  Even Connor's life.  Those lives are secondary.'

'Yes, Lex,' said Gina.  She gazed at him with adoration, which Lex chose to see as genuine.

Mercy mumbled something that may have been agreement, or just appreciation of the coffee.  Lex chose to see it as agreement.  His BlackBerry beeped at him, and he checked the message.  'The chopper is landing,' he said.  'Let's move out, people.'

Gina picked up Connor, but the baby began to cry -- wail, rather.  'You take the luggage,' he told Gina.  'I'll deal with the baby for now.'

They headed out.  A servant opened the front door for them, and they could see the chopper landing.  Gina was in the lead, Mercy behind her.  Lex followed them, with Connor in his arms, and Joy at his heels.  The door to the chopper opened, and the co-pilot lowered the steps....

... and then, around the corner, came Lionel, with the false Clark beside him, along with a pack of lawyers and some of Lionel's pistol packing muscle -- the Burly Henchman from the flight to Newfoundland among them.  The Henchman smirked at Lex, clearly entertaining fantasies of exacting revenge.

'Run!' Lex screamed at Gina and Mercy.  'I'll hold them off.'  He pulled his gun and aimed it at Lionel's head.  'If one person takes one more step,' he snarled at his father.  'I'll shoot you right between the eyes.  We're getting on this chopper.  No interference, or you're dead.'

'What kind of man would kill his own father,' said Clark, stepping in front of Lionel.

'The sort of man that knows his father is Satan Incarnate, and a traitor to his planet,' said Lex.  'You see, I do know my own father. And you are his disciple.  The real Clark is currently decorating the wall of a cave.'

'I am the real Clark.  That child who trusted you wasn't worthy of the name Kal-El.'

'I should kill you for saying that,' Lex told him.

'Go ahead and shoot, but you can't hurt me.'

'No, but I still have the crystal, so stay back.  At this moment, I'm the sort of man who would kill anyone who got in his way.'

'We're on board, Lex,' Gina called to him.  'Mercy has them in her sights.  It's safe to join us, now.'

'I will kill the first person who moves,' said Mercy, in her Mafia voice.  'I'm that sort of woman.'

'Sure you are, little Lady,' said the Henchman -- and those were his last words.  The lawyers and other henchmen gasped and took a few steps back, clearly more cautious now.

'Lex!  Get on board!' screamed Gina.

Lex turned and ran for the chopper, Joy right beside him.

'Lex! No!' shouted Lionel.  He pushed past Clark, and took off after Lex.  Lex turned, gun in hand, aimed... and in that instant, a great black beast roared down from the dawn sk, sweeping Lex in its wake.

'Take off,' he screamed at the helicopter pilot, as he rose into the sky in the arms of the monster.  The chopper obediently took flight after them, but the monster was too fast.  The sun rose as they flew across the ocean, heading east toward the Mainland.

'Why do I have a feeling of deja vu?' said Lex, and a sharp little 'woof' answered him.  'Joy?  You are getting entirely too clever at hitching rides. You just never want to be left behind, do you?'

They were flying over Vancouver now, it seemed, though the city was blanketed in snow and muffled by fog.  The monster skimmed over the roofs of buildings, as if searching for a specific landing spot.  Then it touched down in a dark alley.  Lex struggled out of its cold embrace, and the monster let him.  It stepped back, into the shadows, and shook itself all over, before transforming into a naked human.

Lex stared.  'Davis?' he said.  'I knew you were familiar.  You giving free rides back and forth across Georgia Strait, now?'

Davis ignored him for the moment, hunting through a dumpster, and pulling out a bundle of clothes.  He pulled them on hurriedly, and wrapped himself in a long black coat, before answering.  'You were in great danger, there,' he said.  'If you had shot your father....'

'In self defense,' said Lex.

'...you would have compromised your position as the Champion of Earth.'

'What do you know of that?'

'Lara contacted me,' said Davis.  'She wants me to... never mind.  There's no time to chat.  I have someplace to be.'

'Wait!  Why did you bring me here?  This is an alley in.... Good God!  The Downtown Eastside?  Are you trying to get me bumped off?'

'It's nowhere near as dangerous here as it is in Abbotsford,' Davis pointed out, quite reasonably.  'You can call your friends and they'll come and get you, but first... through that door, there.  There's someone you need to meet.'  And then he was gone, almost as fast as  he'd appeared in his monster persona..

Lex turned to look at the door.  It was very unprepossessing, as doors go.  Peeling paint.  Graffitti.  Blood smears.  That last touch was interesting, thought Lex.  Whose blood?  He looked down at Connor, sleeping peacefully in his arms.  He checked out Joy, who was sitting at his feet, trustingly.  He himself was never one to turn down a challenge, but under these circumstances....

A police siren wailed in the street outside the alley.  Lex stepped back into the shadow of the dumpster, and watched as a fugitive chose that alley to run down.  The police were going to be next, for certain, and Lex didn't want to get caught up in their dragnet, if he could avoid it.  He opened the door, and stepped inside the building.

**********

The door creaked open, just like in all the horror movies.  Something scuttled across the floor, to hide in the deeper shadows.  A rat?  Or a giant mutant cockroach?  Lex didn't feel any particular desire to investigate, under the circumstances.  He could feel eyes watching them, as they ventured further into the room. Though 'room' wasn't really the proper word for this interior space, he thought.  Walls had been damaged, or ripped out completely.  Newspapers and fast food wrappers littered the floor.  The windows were either dirty, or broken, or both.  The furniture... Lex shuddered at the thought of sitting on the filthy ripped sofa.  Fleas, lice, and bedbugs, for a start.

Lex wondered what Davis's purpose could have been in bringing him here.  If it were only to effect his death, there were easier ways to attempt such a feat.  Squashing him, for example, or dropping him in the Strait of Georgia.  Did Davis know about Lex's self-healing abilities, and that he was quite possibly immortal, or nearly so?  Was there another monster in residence here, who was even more powerful than Davis?  Was this the Vancouver equivalent of Shelob's Lair?

But Davis had shown no hostility toward Lex, the few times they had been in contact.  Even the first time he'd kidnapped Lex, he hadn't harmed him physically, merely abandoned him to the mercies of the Kryptonian ship.  And why invoke the name of Lara? The last Lex had heard, Davis had been working with the ship to learn to control his powers.  What had happened in the interim?   Lex realized that for several days after his abduction, he'd been out of touch with the world around him.  This morning, he'd regained his strength and purpose, but here he was again, following the orders of a Kryptonian.  Kryptonians were good at giving orders, he thought.  Perhaps he should just turn around, call his people and get back on track.

Joy's hackles rose, and she actually snarled at something in the shadows.  Lex followed her gaze.  A pair of bright eyes, at about his knee level, gazed back.  A dog? Perhaps. The creature barked, or yipped rather, and came a little closer.  It was small, dark yellow and had long ears.  Lex refined his suspicions.  Coyote.  An urban coyote.   Not terribly dangerous to himself, but certainly a danger to Conner if Lex should be stupid enough to leave him unattended.  Was it a danger to Joy, perhaps? Joy stepped between Lex and the coyote, and barked, loudly.  The coyote backed up a step or two, not visibly frightened, but not daring Joy's wrath too closely either.  It yipped again, turned, looked back over its shoulder and trotted off.  Joy barked at it, but then started to follow.

'Joy?  What are you doing? Silly little bitch.'

Joy tossed a disgusted look over her shoulder at the dense human, and continued to follow the coyote.  What had the coyote told her, in canine language?  Perhaps the sensible thing to do was to follow Joy and find out?  There didn't seem much sense in hanging around here, and Joy seemed to think she was now in charge of this expedition.

They followed the coyote down a long, dark corridor.  Here the dirt and destruction seemed less in evidence, as if that terrible room had been only for show.  Lex remembered that the outer walls had been made of solid stone, even if they were in need of a thorough power cleaning.  The proportions had been good, and it was likely the foundations were solid.  A good investment, perhaps, if Lex survived this adventure and the current inhabitants treated him well.  Or, if not, he could always raze it to the ground.

Now they were climbing stairs.  A spiral staircase.  This must have been a spectacular building in an earlier age, thought Lex.  Too bad it had been allowed to fall into wrack and ruin.

The stairs led to the second floor.  Lex had thought this building was at least three stories high.  But probably the upper stories had smaller, less evident staircases, like those old mansions, where the servants lived on the upper stories, and the stairs leading there were at the back of the house.

Another corridor.  Lex was getting bored, and that wasn't good.  But now he heard voices from down the hall.

'And so we can think of the Divine, not as a super power above us, judging us and punishing us, but as the spark of good within us all, that leads us on to a better life....'

A scattering of applause. A few scattered questions that Lex didn't quite hear. What was this place?  A lecture hall?  If so, the amenities were very much at the low end of the scale.

The coyote trotted up to a door, that Lex now saw was slightly ajar.  It barked, and Lex heard footsteps approach the door, and then it swung open and someone poked a head out to look around.

Lex's first impulse was to hide, and so he stepped forward, a greeting on his lips. Before he could say a word, however, the elderly gray-haired woman in the doorway caught sight of him, and extended her hand.

'Come in,' she said.  'Here is sanctuary.'

Lex stepped inside the room.

Here was peace.  It was a large room, extending upward to the fourth story.  In the roof was a skylight, and that was open.  It had started to snow, he could see now, but no one was shutting the skylight.

There was a fireplace, with several large logs burning.  Around the hearth sat three women. One was spinning thread.  One was winding the thread into skeins, and the third was weaving at a large loom.  It was like the Three Fates, thought Lex.  Not exactly, but close enough.

At the other end of the room, a larger group of women were gathered, and it seemed that was where the lecturer was holding forth.  

'Attention!' said the elderly woman who had first greeted him.  'We have a new guest.'

The women looked up, and then looked him up and down.  'But he's a man!' said one.

'The Guide is never wrong,' said his hostess.

'I apologize for interrupting your business,' said Lex. 'I was led here, by... by....' Lex looked around for the coyote, but it had disappeared

'By the Guide,' said the elderly woman, firmly.

'Who is never wrong,' said Lex.

'Exactly!' she replied, glaring at the younger women across the room.  'Come in,' she continued,  'And sit down.'

Conner chose that moment to start crying.  'A baby.' said one of the women.  'You have a baby?'  Suddenly he was surrounded by women.  Helping him off with his coat.  Pulling up a table so he could change Conner's diaper.  Heating up formula on a little Coleman stove.

'Now,' said the elderly woman, when he was settled in a big old armchair, before the fire, Conner asleep in his arms, and Joy nestled at his feet.  'Why have you come here to us?'

'I don't know,' Lex admitted.  'Someone brought me here, because I needed to meet someone. Someone else.'

'Someone, someone, someone. Sounds murky to me,' muttered the woman at the loom.

'To me, as well,' said Lex.  'I was... I was running from my father, because he wanted to take Conner from me.  I was panicking.  I was going to kill him, to protect Conner.'

'What about the baby's mother?' asked the woman with the spindle.  'Doesn't she have a say in all this?'

'I am Conner's mother,' said Lex.  It was the first time he had ever said those words.

'Ah!' said the elderly doorkeeper.  'I told you the Guide was never wrong.'

Snow was still falling through the skylight.  There was a little pile of it on the floor. Enough, perhaps, to make a snowman.  'What now?' asked Lex.  'I should call my people.  Have them pick me up.  But then why did I come here?  What purpose was there in my journey?'

'Must everything have a purpose?' asked the woman who wound the skeins.

'In my world, yes,' said Lex.

She finished winding her skein, and cut the thread.  'Then, the person you came here to meet has been chosen,' she said.  'It has all been pre-ordained.'

Someone stepped out of the shadows.  She was tall, and Black, and her hair hung in magnificent dreads.

'Greetings,' she said to Lex.  'My name is Hope.'

****************

In the cave, Clark felt himself awaken.  He couldn't move, or speak, but now he could hear.  He could hear the voice of his Doppelganger. He could hear his thoughts.  Clark was not re-assured.  It seemed, that during the passage of time, the Doppelganger and Lex's evil father had chased Lex out of Echo Valley.  And here he was, frozen and helpless, hanging on the wall like a bizarre trophy.

Clark strained and strained to move.  At last he moved his fingers, just enough to touch something in his pocket.  Soft, warm leather.  It was Lex's glove.  Lex was out there, needing his help, and he must gather his strength for a great contest.

***The End of Part One. To Be Continued in Part Two: The Fortress ***

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